Published via T: 2014-02-05 16:05:58
What if it were possible to mask the inner workings not just of a proof, but of a computer program, so that people could use the program without being able to figure out how it worked?
The idea of “obfuscating” a program had been around for decades, but no one had ever developed a rigorous mathematical framework for the concept, let alone created an unassailable obfuscation scheme. Over the years, commercial software companies have engineered various techniques for garbling a computer program so that it will be harder to understand while still performing the same function. But hackers have defeated every attempt. At best, these commercial obfuscators offer a “speed bump,” said Sahai, now a computer science professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. “An attacker might need a few days to unlock the secrets hidden in your software, instead of a few minutes.”
My Two Cents
Finally some good news about Privacy and Security for the little guys! I would very much like to see the day where SW is unhackable. Such sw packages would almost have to flood the market, much like VoIP did 15 years ago. If only a few sw programs hit the market, then they would be benched "in the name of national security." But if these types of programs become unhackable and they become common place, then we have a chance to get back some of our privacy.
