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TLS-ECCPWD-WITH-AES-256-CCM-SHA384 Cipher Suite
A breakdown of the Cipher Suite TLS_ECCPWD_WITH_AES_256_CCM_SHA384, its strengths, and its weaknesses.
Key Exchange Mechanism
Elliptic Curve Cryptography Password - ECCPWD
Grade - A
ECCPWD (Elliptic Curve Cryptography Password-based key Derivation) is a cryptographic protocol that enhances security in password-based authentication systems. It leverages elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to derive strong encryption keys from passwords, significantly reducing vulnerability to brute-force attacks. ECCPWD integrates seamlessly into cipher suites, providing robust encryption and authentication for secure communication. Its efficiency and high security make it particularly suitable for modern applications, ensuring that even weak, low-entropy passwords are protected by the strength of ECC.
Cipher
Advanced Encryption Standard - AES
Grade - A
AES should be used in cipher suites because it offers strong security with efficient performance, large block size (128 bits), and resistance to known attacks. Its widespread adoption and thorough analysis by the cryptographic community ensure reliability and robustness for encrypting sensitive data.
Hash
Secure Hash Algorithm 384 Bit - SHA384
Grade - A
Improving greatly from SHA1, SHA-256 and above create secure hashes through robust cryptographic algorithms that ensure collision resistance and preimage resistance. They process input data in fixed-size blocks, applying complex mathematical transformations that make it computationally impractical to reverse-engineer the original data from its hash.
Cipher Mode
Counter with Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code - CCM
Grade - A
CCM (Counter with CBC-MAC) is a mode of operation for cryptographic block ciphers, providing both encryption and authentication. Used in cipher suites, CCM ensures data confidentiality and integrity by combining the Counter (CTR) mode for encryption with the Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code (CBC-MAC) for authentication. This dual functionality makes CCM highly efficient and secure, suitable for resource-constrained environments like IoT and wireless networks. By integrating CCM, cipher suites offer robust protection against unauthorized access and tampering, enhancing overall security in secure communications.
