Have you heard the newest and most pervasive buzzword in online security? Recently, the most popular and over-hyped expression doing the rounds these days is “Cryptoagility”. Why do we think it is so overhyped? Because if you are simply looking for a definition, you’ll be hard pressed to find one. People who talk about it can barely define it.
Most will have you believe in a vague notion of being able to swap out algorithms in real time via the click of a mouse button. No need for reboots, updates or interference from system administrators. Some will even go as far as having the ability to swap different implementations of the same algorithms. Uber flexibility in the runtime environment.
Here at wolfSSL we have a more nuanced approach to cryptoagility. What we just described above is what we call RuntimebCryptoagility and if your system can accommodate it and you are willing to spend the resources to have it, then perhaps you might want to look into our wolfEngine and wolfProvider products.
The other kind of Cryptoagility where the wolfSSL team specializes in is Buildtime Cryptoagility. We recognize that when it comes to embedded systems, resources are at a premium and can not be wasted. With that in mind, currently unused algorithms and data are taking up valuable memory and footprint. For example, if you’re planning a post-quantum transition, having those algorithms in your firmware now might not be practical. With wolfBoot, our super efficient boot loader implementation, that migration is a simple and seamless firmware update away. When the time comes, rebuild your firmware with the algorithms required and have a seamless Cryptoagility experience.
Note that it has been this way for years. Here at wolfSSL, we didn’t need to create a new buzzword to serve our customers.
If you have questions about any of the above, please contact us at facts@wolfssl.com or call us at +1 425 245 8247.
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