# Factoring the Noise protocol matrix

DevFeed: [Factoring the Noise protocol matrix](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/factoring-the-noise-protocol-matrix-29167.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.latacora.com/blog/2018/07/18/factoring-the-noise/>)

Published: 2018-07-18T15:59:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Latacora](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/latacora.md>)

Topics: [Matrix](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/matrix-org.md>), [Protocol (disambiguation)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/protocol.md>), [Cryptography](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cryptography.md>), [Encryption](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/encryption.md>), [Security, Privacy and Abuse Prevention](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security-privacy-and-abuse-prevention.md>)

Tags: [communication](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/communication.md>), [cryptography](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cryptography.md>), [deferred](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/deferred.md>), [messages](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/messages.md>), [protocol](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/protocol.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains the Noise protocol matrix, the trade-offs among its handshake patterns, and the implementation difficulties caused by its growing number of variants. It recommends being specific about the intended pattern, often Noise_IK, rather than treating Noise generically.

## Source excerpt

TL;DR: if I ever told you to use Noise, I probably meant Noise_IK and should have been more specific. The Noise protocol is one of the best things to happen to encrypted protocol design. WireGuard inherits its elegance from Noise. Noise is a cryptography engineer's darling spec. It's important not to get blindsided while fawning over it and to pay attention to where implementers run into trouble. Someone raised a concern I had run into before: Noise has a matrix.