A Mighty Number Falls

A Mighty Number Falls 348

Posted by kdawson on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:28PM from the time-to-generate-new-keys dept.

space_in_your_face writes "An international team has broken a long-standing record in an impressive feat of calculation. On March 6, computer clusters from three institutions (the EPFL, the University of Bonn, and NTT in Japan) reached the end of eleven months of strenuous calculation, churning out the prime factors of a well-known, hard-to-factor number — 2^1039 - 1 — that is 307 digits long." The lead researcher believes "the writing is on the wall" for 1024-bit encryption. "Last time, it took nine years for us to generalize from a special to a non-special hard-to factor number (155 digits). I won't make predictions, but let's just say it might be a good idea to stay tuned."

A Mighty Number Falls

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What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by Hatta ( 162192 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:32PM (#19224979) Journal

I read TFA, it didn't say what the factors were. Does anyone know?

I'll be honest. (Score:0, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:33PM (#19224999)

I don't think that I care about this.

Re:I'll be honest. (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:35PM (#19225027)

Keep me posted when you know for sure.

Tx.

They better hurry and copyright that number (Score:2, Funny)

by vortoxin ( 213064 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:35PM (#19225031)

I can see the RIAA filing the lawsuit on a DMCA violation now....."That's our prime number/integer"

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by jfengel ( 409917 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:36PM (#19225041) Homepage Journal

Hang on, I'm working on it. I'll get back to you.

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by IthnkImParanoid ( 410494 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:37PM (#19225071)

They were about to write them down when the computer was destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. I guess we'll find out in 11 months or so.

On the plus side, the staff has quicker access to the nearest janitorial supply closet.

An NSA spokesperson disagrees (Score:4, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:37PM (#19225075)

NSA research indicates that 1024-bit encryption is unbreakable and everyone should be using it.

this too (Score:5, Funny)

by Himring ( 646324 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:38PM (#19225077) Homepage Journal

Knowing this, too, will not help you pick up chicks in a bar....

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by Hatta ( 162192 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:38PM (#19225083) Journal

Hang on, I'm working on it. I'll get back to you.

It's not going to take 11 months is it?

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by VAXcat ( 674775 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:43PM (#19225169)

I know them, but I can't tell you, since they are also copyrighted AACS keys...

Re:this too (Score:4, Funny)

by IthnkImParanoid ( 410494 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:44PM (#19225197)

So if you integrate this into your lines it could be a factor in your chance to multiply?

Why yes, I am a big hit at parties.

One down, (Score:4, Funny)

by seaturnip ( 1068078 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:45PM (#19225203)

infinity left to go!

That's nothing! (Score:3, Funny)

by iamacat ( 583406 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:48PM (#19225273)

I just factored 2^2048 in a few milliseconds on a single computer. Your bank account balance was just donated to support world peace. RSA is doomed? Oh, wait? Are you saying RSA is based on numbers which are products of two large primes, not just some numbers with lots of small factors? Bummer!

You may also be interested to know (Score:3, Funny)

by p3d0 ( 42270 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:50PM (#19225295)

85% of all statistics are made up.

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by brunascle ( 994197 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:51PM (#19225311)

for the love of god, please tell me you got those numbers from the results of the project

Re:Why Does Encryption Need to "Scramble" Informat (Score:5, Funny)

by goddidit ( 988396 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @02:52PM (#19225339)

http://xkcd.com/c257.html [xkcd.com]
Navajo code is pretty easy to crack.

in related news (Score:3, Funny)

by circletimessquare ( 444983 ) writes: <circletimessquar ... m minus language> on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:08PM (#19225605) Homepage Journal

any security measure built by a man can also be broken by a man

there is absolutely no such thing as 100% security

and there never will be

for most of us, 99.9999999999999999999999% security will do

for the rest, sweaty heart palpitations and paranoid schizophrenia will do

Re:I'll be honest. (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:11PM (#19225645)

Let me know when he gets back to you!

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

by 2short ( 466733 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:11PM (#19225653)

Quantum computers have that one nagging flaw: they don't actually exist.

Re:distributed network computing? (Score:3, Funny)

by Dancindan84 ( 1056246 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:13PM (#19225683)

So that's what the spammers are doing. Does that mean that 1/500 v1agra messages is really sekret US intelligence?

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:19PM (#19225785)

Hey, that's the same combination I have on my luggage!

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

by sanimalp ( 965638 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:20PM (#19225799)

No, he just works for the NSA.

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

by StarfishOne ( 756076 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:36PM (#19226067)

Is that before or after looking at the machine? ;-)

(forgive me, I love quantum-related jokes... ^_~)

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

by maxwell demon ( 590494 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:47PM (#19226251) Journal

Is that before or after looking at the machine? ;-)

(forgive me, I love quantum-related jokes... ^_~)
Yes.

(forgive me, I love logic-related jokes ... :-))

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

by phasm42 ( 588479 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:50PM (#19226287)

In binary: 2^1039-1=11111111111...11111111 (1039 '1' bits)

Eh? (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:56PM (#19226375)

I did 2^1040-1 yesterday on my TI-83...I knew that overclock was worth it!

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:5, Funny)

by Abcd1234 ( 188840 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @03:59PM (#19226433) Homepage

in fact you have about a 1 in 300 chance of pulling 1024-bit prime out of your ass

Wow, now *that* is a cool trick!

Re:distributed network computing? (Score:4, Funny)

by ArsonSmith ( 13997 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @04:55PM (#19227467) Journal

It's not a machine for making a wormhole. You have to have a small wormhole available to you. What the machine does is expand a wormhole to enormous sizes. It is hinted at in the picture if you look closely.

Re:Wrong number, in both the GP and the summary! (Score:4, Funny)

by AshNazg ( 830 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @04:56PM (#19227499) Homepage

Use bc instead.
The factors are correct. Just checked.

And don't doubt me, I'm a 3 digits UID

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

by moosesocks ( 264553 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @05:03PM (#19227617) Homepage

Quantum computers have that one nagging flaw: they don't actually exist.

Quantum computers have that one nagging flaw: they actually exist.

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

by dvice_null ( 981029 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @05:15PM (#19227803)

You too?!

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Custard ( 587661 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @05:18PM (#19227869) Homepage Journal

Oh, big deal. He was only off by a multiple of 5 million or so. ...

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:5, Funny)

by rpresser ( 610529 ) writes: <rpresser&gmail,com> on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @05:35PM (#19228145)

Perhaps you should see the Prime Number Shitting Bear.

Originally at http://www.primenumbershittingbear.com/ [primenumbe...ngbear.com] but that's long dead, so I dug it out of the Wayback Machine and put it up at http://rpresser.googlepages.com/primenumbershittin gbear.html [googlepages.com] . Enjoy.

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:3, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @05:53PM (#19228515)

Well, I verified them in Emacs using 'calc'. That definitively settles this matter.

Re:What are they? (Score:1, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @09:31PM (#19230905)

I have a truly marvellous factorization of this number which this margin is too narrow to contain.

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:5, Funny)

by morcego ( 260031 ) writes: on Tuesday May 22, 2007 @11:20PM (#19231727)

I just checked with Netcraft, and they also confirmed it.

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:1, Funny)

by Obsi ( 912791 ) writes: on Wednesday May 23, 2007 @01:53AM (#19232527)

Well I checked with my super-hyper-meta-top abacus! QED.

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:2, Funny)

by Zebedeu ( 739988 ) writes: on Wednesday May 23, 2007 @04:29AM (#19233295)

It appears that you're out of bandwidth.
Google to the rescue (hope it holds): http://alpha61.com/primenumbershittingbear [alpha61.com]

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:2, Funny)

by ChiefNX ( 1056164 ) writes: on Wednesday May 23, 2007 @07:08AM (#19234055)

Right. Someone leave the site open until this bear shits out an undiscovered prime and we'll be rich.

Re:Wrong number, in both the GP and the summary! (Score:4, Funny)

by RudeDude ( 672 ) * writes: on Wednesday May 23, 2007 @10:01AM (#19235707) Homepage Journal

Does that make me even "better"?

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

I'll be honest. (Score:0, Funny)

Re:I'll be honest. (Score:1, Funny)

They better hurry and copyright that number (Score:2, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

An NSA spokesperson disagrees (Score:4, Funny)

this too (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:this too (Score:4, Funny)

One down, (Score:4, Funny)

That's nothing! (Score:3, Funny)

You may also be interested to know (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Why Does Encryption Need to "Scramble" Informat (Score:5, Funny)

in related news (Score:3, Funny)

Re:I'll be honest. (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

Re:distributed network computing? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

Eh? (Score:1, Funny)

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:distributed network computing? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Wrong number, in both the GP and the summary! (Score:4, Funny)

Re:Next step: FPGA cracking (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:3, Funny)

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:3, Funny)

Re:What are they? (Score:1, Funny)

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:5, Funny)

Re:Damn, beaten, somewhat. (Score:1, Funny)

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:How many people have the computing power ... (Score:2, Funny)

Re:Wrong number, in both the GP and the summary! (Score:4, Funny)

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