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A formidable issue exists due to the numerous ways that a digital security breach is possible. The sustained cases of data infiltration despite
existing remedies show that a solution to this issue is elusive. A successfully infiltrated environment can only rely on data encryption as the
last hope of preventing a resource breach. However, data encryption becomes most reliable when it cannot be undermined. Analysis of source code
that is meant to protect data can lead to a data breach. Almost all source code for data encryption is based on algorithms made public by
organizations or academia. These algorithms have been implemented through open source or proprietary code. Although exposure of details is more
likely with open source code, proprietary code is still vulnerable to analysis. The need to expose an algorithm that protects data for public use
creates an inevitable conflict (or irony). Another way to undermine encryption is by illicit access to the decryption key.
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The encryption of data usually involves generating a binary digit sequence (or key). Although, the entropy of a binary sequence grows with
size, an algorithm (such as AES) may render a key strongest against discovery at a size limit. Therefore, with the known algorithm, only one key
size (128 bits) is strongest against discovery by brute force. The inherent entropy of larger key sizes is lost and such keys are relatively
easier to discover toward a data breach. Besides, it is common for cryptographic algorithms to process keys in a way that renders decryption slow
enough to avoid larger key sizes.
All data creation, transmission and protection environments are vulnerable to data breaches in one or more ways. The most critical vulnerability
exists within an operating system. Any loophole within an OS will expose hardware and software resources in an environment to several weaknesses
that can result in a viral infection. Unfortunately, the only proactive remedy requires an infection to occur before knowledge of its prevention
can be grasped. The possible loopholes in an operating system continue to be exposed by parties interested in causing any kind of data breach.
The loophole of an operating system can expose a decryption key, which can render protected data accessible. There is no doubt that a single point
of vulnerability can lead to a significant exposure that renders data protection inadequate.
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Imagine if these shortcomings mentioned about data protection could be addressed. What if data were encrytpted in a way that preserved the full entropy of
a key size? However, illicit access to both encrypted data and keys presents a dead end for protection. This dead end arises from knowing the algorithm that
generates original data from corresponding keys. What if the algorithm were of a form that can generate variations in its operations? By the way, each variation
must have optimal performance regardless of key size. What if these variations involve (at least) quintillions of permutations? The challenge to an infiltrator
does not stop at finding permutations (that are already tremendously significant) of keys. The challenge further involves finding a single operation from a
tremendously large number of possibilities that can generate a specific case of data. Suppose that any pattern for such set of operations were elusive to grasp?
We now arrive at a situation where gaining illicit access to both encrypted data and keys becomes useless in a data breach. Any operating system loophole would
no longer pose a threat because the breached data cannot be decoded. However, protection against corruption or deletion by malware is still necessary.
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