342 RSA BSAFE Crypto-C Developer’s Guide
ECDSA
Elliptic Curve DSA (Digital Signature
Algorithm). An elliptic curve analogue
of DSA.
EDI
Electronic (business) Data Interchange.
elliptic curve
The set of points (x, y) satisfying an
equation of the form for variables x, y
and constants a, b Î F, where F is a field.
elliptic curve cryptosystem
See ECC.
elliptic curve discrete logarithm
Also known as ECDL: the problem of
finding m such that m ·P = Q, where P
and Q are two points on an elliptic
curve.
elliptic curve (factoring) method
A special-purpose factoring algorithm
that attempts to find a prime factor p of
an integer n by finding an elliptic curve
whose number of points modulo p is
divisible by only small primes.
encryption
The transformation of plaintext into an
apparently less readable form (called
ciphertext) through a mathematical
process. The ciphertext may be read by
anyone who has the key that decrypts
(undoes the encryption) the ciphertext.
exclusive-OR
See XOR.
factor
Given an integer n, any number that
divides it is called a factor of n. For
example, 7 is a factor of 91, because 91/7
is an integer.
factoring
The breaking down of an integer into its
prime factors. This is a hard problem.
factoring methods
See elliptic curve method, multiple
polynomial quadratic sieve, number
field sieve, Pollard p-1 and Pollard p+1
method, Pollard rho method, quadratic
sieve.
FIPS
Federal Information Processing
Standards. See NIST.
GSS-API
generic security service application
program interface.
hacker
A person who tries and/or succeeds at
defeating computer security measures.
IEEE
Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers. A body that creates some
cryptography standards.
IETF
Internet Engineering Task Force.
