[...]> Brian Gladman, an ex-NATO encryption expert based in the UK, says that > 40-bit DES means checking about a billion billion different keys in > succession. This would take the average desktop computer a year, but a > group of powerful machines could perform the feat in a few days, he says. > However, he adds: "If you go much beyond 40 bits it is outside the realm > of > possible." > [...] An 'ex-Nato encryption expert' who can't do math, and doesn't know the field. 40 bits ~~ a million million 60 bits ~~ a billion billion He's off by a factor of a million. The fact that 10 bits ~~1000 (actually 1024) is something that is engraved inside the skull of anyone who actually deals with this stuff. Much beyond 40 bits is impossible? Tell that to distributed.net/EFF , which brute-forced a 56 bit key in under 24 hours a couple years ago, and is currently working on a 64 bit key (They're 2/3 of the way through at the moment). Peter Trei [Moderator's note: It wasn't a direct quote, and I generally assume reporters misquote people anyway. Also, note that the general confusion because the UK uses "thousand million" for the US "billion" makes the whole thing even less clearly the expert and not the reporter. --Perry] ============================================================================ ================ This e-mail, its content and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the addressee(s) and are PRIVILEGED and CONFIDENTIAL. Access by any other party is unauthorized without the express prior written permission of the sender. If you have received this e-mail in error you may not copy, disclose to any third party or use the contents, attachments or information in any way, Please delete all copies of the e-mail and the attachment(s), if any and notify the sender. Thank You. ============================================================================ ================ --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
