[kennethallen]

I have a few questions after reading the README.

First, if it uses PRNG with a fixed-size state, it isn't accurate to say it never repeats, correct? It will be periodic eventually, even if that takes 2^256 operations or more.

Second, can you go more into the potential practical or theoretical advantages? Your scheme is certainly more complicated, but I don't see how it offers better tamper protection or secrecy than a block cipher operating in an authenticated mode (AES+GCM, for instance). Those have a number of practical advantages, like parallel encryption/decryption and ubiquitous hardware support.

[ciphernomad-org]

You are correct. The probability of a state collision is cryptographically negligible, on the order of breaking a 256-bit hash function.

You're also right that AES-GCM is faster and has hardware support. Ariadne explores a different trade-off. Its primary advantage is its architectural agility.

Instead of a fixed algorithm, the sequence of operations in Ariadne is dynamic and secret, derived from the key and data history. An attacker doesn't just need to break a key; they have to contend with an unknown, ephemeral algorithm.

This same flexible structure allows the core CVM to be reconfigured into other primitives. We've built concepts for programmable proofs-of-work, verifiable delay functions, and even ring signatures.

[jeroenhd]

FYI your comments seem to be showing up as dead (dead comments don't show up by default, only when people logged into HN have them enabled), I think something may have triggered a shadowban on your account. Might want to send a message to the moderators.

I hit 'vouch' for the comment I'm responding to so it should be visible, but the other response you gave (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44353277) is still listed as dead.