Without getting too deeply into the math, what is elliptic curve cryptography?
Scott Vanstone: Elliptic curve cryptography is a public-key scheme providing the same functionality as the RSA scheme. [RSA is a publickey algorithm named after its three inventors, Ronald Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman]. The difference is that elliptic curve bases its security on a much harder mathematical problem than the problem RSA bases its security on. That translates into being able to use much shorter key lengths to get the equivalent level of security. There are really only two commercially viable public- key schemes, elliptic curve cryptography and RSA. RSA, in my opinion, will be replaced because of the technological advantages of ECC. GCN: Is the level of security something that can be proved, rather than a matter of opinion? Vanstone: It has been around now for 23 years. It’s been looked at by the best mathematicians in the world, just as RSA has, and nobody has found any weaknesses in it. It is a well-established technology. GCN: Strengths and advantages usually
