4 ms·

But if intelligence agencies broke factoring, would we know? Maybe they have.

by alexandercrohde 7y ago

goerz 7y ago
Unlikely, as they wouldn’t keep using methods that they’ve broken themselves
- cgriswald 7y ago
  I doubt it, too; but using methods you've broken, but know others haven't, is a great way to convince people you haven't broken it either. And if you suspect they have, it's a great channel for misinformation.
  - macintux 7y ago
    You could also embed content with stronger security inside the wrapper you’ve broken, so even if someone else has figured it out, they can’t decrypt your real messages. Hopefully.
    - alfiedotwtf 7y ago
      Nice
- OscarCunningham 7y ago
  They could switch algorithms and claim that they were just doing it to be resistant against quantum computers.
- all2 7y ago
  That's not the case. With compartmentalization as a core organizational design, the people with the crack won't be saying anything to the operations and infrastructure folks. A key portion of an advantage like this would be who to share 1) derived intel and 2) capability with.
jahnu 7y ago
If they have then they are using it exceedingly sparingly. I strongly suspect it would be impossible to use it to any moderate degree without being found out in one way or another. I know this is a very very poorly worded question :) but I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time?
- gonzo41 7y ago
  Probably the most useful thing to do with this power if you had it would be and signing your exploits with all sorts of legit keys. Maximal effective exposed area on all parts of the hardware and software stack of multiple potential opponents. The real work would be using the information and trying to find other ways to discover the same thing. Classic intel problem.
- DanBC 7y ago
  We know they had public key crypto a few years before RSA.
- komali2 7y ago
  > but I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time? Very relevant, probably the Allie's breaking the Axis enigma code in WWII. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra If the NSA broke RSA, they'd have a similar program set up to ensure nobody notices.
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  >I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time? I heard that the use of the golden ratio in projects such as the engineering of cathedrals, required that the first thing you do before you draw your plan is to draw a pentagram, in order to derive the ratio using simple drawing tools, and then carefully erase it, or in other words, make it occult. http://www.matematicasvisuales.com/english/html/geometry/goldenratio/pentagondiagonal.html http://www.matematicasvisuales.com/english/html/geometry/gol... Also, I'd really like to know who in the hell built the Ankythera device. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

But if intelligence agencies broke factoring, would we know? Maybe they have.

goerz 7y ago

Unlikely, as they wouldn’t keep using methods that they’ve broken themselves

cgriswald 7y ago
I doubt it, too; but using methods you've broken, but know others haven't, is a great way to convince people you haven't broken it either. And if you suspect they have, it's a great channel for misinformation.
- macintux 7y ago
  You could also embed content with stronger security inside the wrapper you’ve broken, so even if someone else has figured it out, they can’t decrypt your real messages. Hopefully.
  - alfiedotwtf 7y ago
    Nice
OscarCunningham 7y ago
They could switch algorithms and claim that they were just doing it to be resistant against quantum computers.
all2 7y ago
That's not the case. With compartmentalization as a core organizational design, the people with the crack won't be saying anything to the operations and infrastructure folks. A key portion of an advantage like this would be who to share 1) derived intel and 2) capability with.

jahnu 7y ago

If they have then they are using it exceedingly sparingly. I strongly suspect it would be impossible to use it to any moderate degree without being found out in one way or another. I know this is a very very poorly worded question :) but I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time?

gonzo41 7y ago
Probably the most useful thing to do with this power if you had it would be and signing your exploits with all sorts of legit keys. Maximal effective exposed area on all parts of the hardware and software stack of multiple potential opponents. The real work would be using the information and trying to find other ways to discover the same thing. Classic intel problem.
DanBC 7y ago
We know they had public key crypto a few years before RSA.
komali2 7y ago
> but I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time? Very relevant, probably the Allie's breaking the Axis enigma code in WWII. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra If the NSA broke RSA, they'd have a similar program set up to ensure nobody notices.
inflatableDodo 7y ago
>I wonder what the most amazing secret was that was held for the longest time? I heard that the use of the golden ratio in projects such as the engineering of cathedrals, required that the first thing you do before you draw your plan is to draw a pentagram, in order to derive the ratio using simple drawing tools, and then carefully erase it, or in other words, make it occult. http://www.matematicasvisuales.com/english/html/geometry/goldenratio/pentagondiagonal.html http://www.matematicasvisuales.com/english/html/geometry/gol... Also, I'd really like to know who in the hell built the Ankythera device. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism