[clug] Calculations on private data (Homomorphic encryption)

[jm]

Thought this might be of interest of those on the list


The premise of what computer scientists call "fully homomorphic 
encryption," like many long-unsolved mathematical puzzles, sounds both 
simple and impossible: Can data be encrypted in a way that allows any 
calculation to be performed on the scrambled information without 
unscrambling it?

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0713/breakthroughs-privacy-super-secret-encryption.html

This could go someway to make one of the points I stated back in January 
regarding the out-sourcing of IT about trusting third parties with your 
data invalid (see emails with subject "Interesting article").


Jeff.