You're smart.
That's exactly why this is a trap.
Cryptography looks like a puzzle
you could solve.
It isn't a puzzle.
It's a minefield with a nice UI.
The algorithm can be flawless
and your implementation
still leaks through timing,
padding, a reused nonce,
a hundred things you'd never think to test.
The libraries you'd replace
were written by specialists
and attacked by thousands of others
for years.
Your weekend version has been reviewed
by exactly one hopeful person.
This isn't about talent.
It's about surface area
no single person can cover.
Use the vetted library.
Boring, battle-tested, correct.
The clever move in crypto
is refusing to be clever.
– Serguey Asael Shinder
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