Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!talcott!panda!plw
From: plw@panda.UUCP (Pete Williamson)
Newsgroups: net.math,net.crypt
Subject: Re: factoring algorithms and RSA public key code
Message-ID: <1404@panda.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Feb-86 09:36:40 EST
Article-I.D.: panda.1404
Posted: Wed Feb 12 09:36:40 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Feb-86 05:57:11 EST
References: <5083@stolaf.UUCP>
Reply-To: plw@panda.UUCP (Pete Williamson)
Distribution: net
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 26
Xref: linus net.math:2470 net.crypt:493

>
>I just gave my senior comps talk on the RSA public key
>cipher, and after my talk, someone mentioned reading about
>a new factoring algorithm which is very efficient (i.e.
>much better than O(exp(sqrt(ln(n)*ln(ln(n)))))).
>
>This, of course, would have devastating implications for
>the security of the RSA code.  Anybody else know about this?
>I think the person told me it had been developed by someone
>at MIT.
>

I recently heard (second hand) that RSA has been rendered effectively
useless due to an advance in the strategy of factoring large numbers.
Apparently the general factoring problem remains "difficult", but
factoring large numbers that contain large prime factors is now provably
"easy".  I believe that the advance comes from MIT but I do not know
who the researchers are.  The National Security Agency also has known
about this for some time, I have heard.

Hope this helps.


-- 
						Pete Williamson
"By hook or by crook, we will !!" ... #2