Use of a broken or risky cryptographic algorithm¶

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Using broken or weak cryptographic algorithms may compromise security guarantees such as confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity.

Many cryptographic algorithms are known to be weak or flawed. The security guarantees of a system often rely on the underlying cryptography, so using a weak algorithm can have severe consequences. For example:

• If a weak encryption algorithm is used, an attacker may be able to decrypt sensitive data.

• If a weak hashing algorithm is used to protect data integrity, an attacker may be able to craft a malicious input that has the same hash as a benign one.

• If a weak algorithm is used for digital signatures, an attacker may be able to forge signatures and impersonate legitimate users.

Recommendation¶

Ensure that you use a strong, modern cryptographic algorithm. Use at least AES-128 or RSA-2048.

Example¶

The following code shows an example of using the advapi windows API to decrypt some data. When creating a key, you must specify which algorithm to use. The first example uses DES which is an older algorithm that is now considered weak. The second example uses AES, which is a strong modern algorithm.

References¶

• NIST, FIPS 140 Annex a: Approved Security Functions.

• NIST, SP 800-131A: Transitions: Recommendation for Transitioning the Use of Cryptographic Algorithms and Key Lengths.

• Common Weakness Enumeration: CWE-327.