A new algorithm developed by IBM could double the speed of secure online communications. IBM says the combination encryption/authentication technique is particularly suited to securing Internet protocols, storage area network protocols, fiber-optic networks and e-business transactions. But analysts say the new . . .
A new algorithm developed by IBM could double the speed of secure online communications. IBM says the combination encryption/authentication technique is particularly suited to securing Internet protocols, storage area network protocols, fiber-optic networks and e-business transactions. But analysts say the new technique needs further study.

The as-yet-unnamed security algorithm simultaneously encrypts and authenticates messages. That innovation significantly improves the speed of the security process over that of previous approaches, which perform encryption and authentication separately. The new algorithm works using symmetric cryptography, in which the same secret key -- or mathematical code -- is used to encrypt and decrypt a message. Another popular security technique, called public-key cryptography, uses two different keys, one to encrypt and one to decrypt. It is slower but is considered more secure.

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