Google’s deep learning computer can keep things secret
 

Google Brain, Google’s deep learning project, has started protecting information from prying eyes.

Researchers Martín Abadi and David Andersen found that computers could make their own form of encryption using machine learning, without being taught specific cryptographic algorithms.

OK the encryption was basic, but neural nets “are generally not meant to be great at cryptography”.

The Google Brain team has three neural nets called Alice, Bob and Eve. Alice’s job was to send a secret message to Bob, Bob’s job was to decode the message that Alice sent, and Eve’s job was to attempt to eavesdrop.

To make sure the message remained secret, Alice had to convert her original plain-text message into complete gobbledygook, so that anyone who intercepted it (like Eve) wouldn’t be able to understand it. The “cipher text” – had to be decipherable by Bob, but nobody else. Both Alice and Bob started with a pre-agreed set of numbers called a key, which Eve didn’t have access to, to help encrypt and decrypt the message.

http://www.techeye.net/news/googles-...-things-secret