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1.
Is AES REALLY secure??
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
As
of 2006, the only successful attacks against AES
have been side channel attacks. The National Security
Agency (NSA) reviewed all the
AES finalists, including Rijndael, and stated
that all of them were secure enough for US Government
non-classified data. In June 2003, the US Government
announced that AES may be used for classified information:
"The
design and strength of all key lengths of
the AES algorithm (i.e., 128, 192 and 256) are
sufficient to protect classified information
up to the SECRET level. TOP
SECRET information will require use of either the 192 or 256 key lengths.
The implementation of AES in products intended
to protect national security systems and/or information must
be reviewed and certified by NSA prior to their
acquisition and use."
2.
How do we know this plug-in really (and correctly)
uses A.E.S.?
It has been tested with the testing vectors (known
input-output tables) published along with the
algorithms. The test files are provided in the
download package for your own testing and verification.
3.
Does the plug-in require any other libraries
or software
to be installed?
No.
The plug-in just requires FileMaker Pro 7, FileMaker
Developer 7 or FileMaker Server 7
4.
Exactly what is in the download?
Windows
Version
An
ENCRYPTED, "ZIPPED" file containing
the AES folder, which contains the plug-in,
sample databases
showing how
to use it and all documentation.
5.
How short/long can the key be?
The key can be from 16 to any amount of characters
in length. Keys at least 16 characters
in length or longer are recommended for security
reasons! (The longer, the better!)
6.
How many characters (or how long a string) can
the
plug-in encrypt?
There is no limit on the plug-in. The only limit is
the size of FileMaker database fields (in version
7, that is approximately 2 GB!)
7. Can I send the encrypted text in an email or
over IM?
YES!
The encrypted text simply consists of the "hexadecimal" Unicode
text characters: "0123456789ABCDEF" which
are compatible with any email, instant messaging
or other application that can handle simple Unicode
text (the normal text characters used in a Mac
or Windows PC.)
To
send the encrypted text, simply copy the encrypted
field text to the clipboard and paste it into any
email message. To decode any encrypted text you
receive in an email or message, simply copy the
encrypted text to a Filemaker field and decrypt
it with the A.E.S. Plug-In as you would do normally.
HINT:
Sometimes in transiting thru emails, the encrypted
text gets added characters and line-feeds added
to it. To properly decrypt the text, these extra
characters must be removed before calling the A.E.S. "Decrypt" function.
To remove any added characters, use the FileMaker
built-in text function "Filter", using
hexadecimal characters as the filter like this:
Setfield( <target
field>, Filter( <encrypted text>, "0123456789ABCDEF"))
Where <target
field> is the field you will pass to A.E.S.
to decrypt, and <encrypted text> is the
encrypted text you received in the email or IM.
Then
simply call A.E.S.'s "Decrypt" function
on the <target field>, recovering the original
text!
8.
How do I install the plug-in?
Plug-in
files must be installed in the appropriate folder
and enabled in FileMaker Pro, FileMaker Developer
or FileMaker Server before they can be used. Simply
copy the plug-in into the FileMaker Extensions folder
inside the FileMaker application folder and enable
it in the preferences dialog box.
Windows:
Choose Edit menu > Preferences.
Then
select the "Plug-Ins" tab and make sure
it appears with a checkbox next to the plug-in.
9.
How do I get rid of the dialog box that shows
up when
I first use the plug-in each time?
Simply
register the plug-in from Sky Dancer for a very small
fee! Special rates are available for developers and
companies needing multiple copies.
10.
What do the modes "ECB", "CBC" and "CFB" mean?
ECB:
Electronic Code Book (ECB) is a mode of operation
for a block cipher, with the characteristic that each
possible block of plaintext has a defined corresponding
ciphertext value and vice versa. In other words, the
same plaintext value will always result in the same
ciphertext value. Electronic Code Book is used when
a volume of plaintext is separated into several blocks
of data, each of which is then encrypted independently
of other blocks. In fact, Electronic Code Book has
the ability to support a separate encryption key for
each block type.
CBC:
Cipher block chaining (CBC) is a mode of operation
for a block cipher (one in which a sequence of bits
are encrypted as a single unit or block with a cipher
key applied to the entire block). Cipher block chaining
uses what is known as an initialization vector IV)
of a certain length. One of its key characteristics
is that it uses a chaining mechanism that causes the
decryption of a block of ciphertext to depend on all
the preceding ciphertext blocks. As a result, the
entire validity of all preceding blocks is contained
in the immediately previous ciphertext block. A single
bit error in a ciphertext block affects the decryption
of all subsequent blocks. Rearrangement of the order
of the ciphertext blocks causes decryption to become
corrupted. Basically, in cipher block chaining, each
plaintext block is XORed (see XOR) with the immediately
previous ciphertext block, and then encrypted.
CFB:
Ciphertext feedback (CFB) is a mode of operation for
a block cipher. In contrast to the cipher block chaining
(CBC) mode, which encrypts a set number of bits of
plaintext at a time, it is at times desirable to encrypt
and transfer some plaintext values instantly one at
a time, for which ciphertext feedback is a method.
Like cipher block chaining, ciphertext feedback also
makes use of an initialization vector (IV). CFB uses
a block cipher as a component of a random number generator.
In CFB mode, the previous ciphertext block is encrypted
and the output is XORed (see XOR) with the current
plaintext block to create the current ciphertext block.
The XOR operation conceals plaintext patterns. Plaintext
cannot be directly worked on unless there is retrieval
of blocks from either the beginning or end of the
ciphertext.
11.
Can FileMaker database fields encrypted on a
PC be
decrypted on a Macintosh and vise-versa?
YES!!!
The plug-in is fully cross-platform compatible!
12.
Do I need a separate license for both the PC
version
and the Mac version?
A.
Yes. The two versions of the plug-in use different
key schemes.
13.
How can I find out more about A.E.S.?
Visit
Wikipedia's WEB page on A.E.S. at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Encryption_Standard
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A.E.S.
FileMaker Plug-in for Windows™ and Macintosh™
Purchase License(s)