1024-bit RSA keys In Danger Of Compromise? 368
antiher0 writes "According to an email from Lucky Green that came across bugtraq yesterday, 1024-bit encryption should no longer be considered pristine. Bernstein released a proposal that outlines the creation of a machine capable of breaking 1024-bit crypto on the order of minutes or even seconds for the measly cost of ~$1B USD. For a more thorough discussion, check out the original email."
Update: 03/26 03:16 GMT by T : And don't forget to revisit Bruce Schneier's analysis of Bernstein's claims, which cast doubt on the practicality of breaking such large keys anytime soon.
$1Billion (Score:2, Funny)
Is the company you work for hirring? God I wish I could call a billion dollars measly!!
a billion here, a billion there (Score:1, Funny)
Does this mean for $2B they could crack the 2048 bit key?
It's funny, laugh. (IHNRTA) (Score:3, Funny)
I'm certain that qcrack will be poorly documented and require the addition of 5,000 users to whatever supercomputer it happens to operate properly on.
Then DJB will speak incessantly about how it differs from other encryption cracking techniques with its "modular design" (which is actually the application of many patches in order to obtain features found in most SMTP daemons, err cracking programs). Yeah.
(Disclaimer: I love qmail.)
Break my crypto for $1B? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:But what's a measily $1B for a government agenc (Score:2, Funny)
Arbitrary costing = $1B (Score:5, Funny)
<TELEPHONE CORRESPONDANCE>
SHADY GOVERNMENT OPERATIVE: So how much will this 1024 decryption system cost?
PIMPLY TEEN HACKER: $1B US dollars to be deposited into my secure off-shore bank account and safe passage to the Maldives.
SHADY GOVERNMENT OPERATIVE: Excellent. The money is being transferred as we speak. Begin work.
</TELEPHONE CORRESPONDANCE>
<PIMPLY TEEN HACKER INTERNAL MONOLOGUE>
Sweet! I've just charged the US government 1 billion dollars for a beowulf cluster of dreamcasts running home-brew linux.
</PIMPLY TEEN HACKER INTERNAL MONOLOGUE>
<SHADY GOVERNMENT OPERATIVE INTERNAL MONOLOGUE>
Sweet! We will retrieve the 1 billion dollars once we crack the secure off-shore bank account's 1024 bit encryption system
</SHADY GOVERNMENT OPERATIVE INTERNAL MONOLOGUE>
:)
Yeah, right (Score:1, Funny)
I can't imagine how big 2^256 is, but somehow I can picture the number of electrons in the universe.
Re:Clearing up the deceptive intro (Score:5, Funny)
Oops, Mr. Smarty Pants! I can factor 1024-bit primes for $0!
Haha fools!!! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:But can you prove that they are prime? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:$1Billion (Score:2, Funny)
$1Billion wasted (Score:2, Funny)
Yet despite all that money and zillions of man-years being blown on reading stuff in such a format, no one has managed to go out, and no one is willing to spend the money to try to crack
There are so many *smarter* things to blow money on than cryptography that it blows the mind. Cryptography is a fun mind game, but frankly when this much money is being spent on it it's just ridiculous.
You can bribe the people involved for less than $1 billion. Heck, buy up a private army and take over the building that has the information that you want.
Re:Would obscurity be a solution? (Score:5, Funny)
Gah, that public key is 10x longer than... (Score:0, Funny)
Screw this 31337bit encryption, 10-line PGP keys are annoying enough, but imagine getting this shit in every email!
Re:Would obscurity be a solution? (Score:2, Funny)
Damn... that's the combination on my luggage!