Why C Remains the Gold Standard for Cryptographic Software
Summary
The article argues that production cryptography prioritizes portability, long-term stability, and explicit hardware control over language safety. It asserts that C89 targeting maximizes portability and predictability, and that unsafe code and assembly are often necessary for high-performance crypto, with memory safety not guaranteeing security. It also highlights process-driven security practices (testing, fuzzing, reviews) and discusses side-channel risks and trust-building through real-world usage.