Re: Is PGP crackable

[Tim May <tcmay@got.net>]

At 5:04 AM -0800 3/8/99, Edwards, Benjamin () wrote:
>I am writing an article about PGP and have one simple question.  Can PGP
>keys be cracked.  Someone I worked for used to (allegedly) work for the US
>army.  He (allegedly) says the army got comms equipment 6 years before it
>was commercially available.  If this was the case with computer hardware I
>guess the question would be 'Would it be possible to crack a 4k key if we
>had the computer equipment that would be available in 6 years from now?'

Yes, all of this is true.

The Army was able to use its time travel technology to obtain computers
based on the Pentium chip a full 5 years before Intel saw first silicon!
Even now, the Army is testing computers based on the Pentium V (Department
of Rendundancy Department), which Intel does not expect to even design for
another 4 years!

Using the same technology, a 4K key which would normally require more
computers than there are quarks in the universe, running for a kalpa, can
be cracked in minutes.

Journalists like yourself should be proud of your understanding of technology.

--Tim May


Y2K: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, enjoy the ride.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist         | black markets, collapse of governments.