Re: Servers Should Use a Secure Mix Algorithm

[Colin Tuckley <colin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Peter Hendrickson wrote:
> The recommended default mix for servers (from the distributed
> .mixminiond.conf file) has been:

>># MixAlgorithm: Timed

> I think now is a good time to switch over to a secure mix algorithm.
> Nick Mathewson agreed with this suggestion and asked me to announce
> that it has his blessing.

> I've switched wiredyne over to what looks like the most serious mix:

>>MixAlgorithm: BinomialDynamicPool

> Using real mixes will give us a better feel for the performance of the
> real system.  It will also provide a real security service, modulo the
> software being in alpha.

While I have to agree with you on this in theory, I feel it's rather
premature in practice for the following reasons:

1) Mixminion *is* still in alpha, there is a lot of testing going on and
having the timed algorithm made that easier/quicker.

2) Using a "real" algorithm might make people think the system is secure. We
shouldn't be encouraging that while we call the software "alpha". If Nick
thinks it's time for real algorithms then it's also time for the software to
be Beta. (Comments Nick?)

3) The system is *not* reliable at the moment, for those of us trying to
track down bugs this makes it worse. The NymBaron team for instance would
really prefer a timed mix as it makes their testing faster.

See my miniontest results at http://www.cside.dyndns.org/minion.html for an
example of how this change is affecting the system.

It would have been better if you had talked about this in public on the list
*before* you unilateraly made the change.

cside will *not* be changing at this time.

Can I suggest please that people change back - at least until we have all
discussed this and made sure it doesn't impact testing of things like Nymbaron.

If you want to help with testing then please consider running miniontest to
give the system a better workout.

Colin
(cside admin)

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