3 ms·
I burned an unreasonable amount of cpu power searching for input that were used to produce the ~166 bit 'random' value used to construct G in secp256k1 and secp
by nullc 3y ago
I burned an unreasonable amount of cpu power searching for input that were used to produce the ~166 bit 'random' value used to construct G in secp256k1 and secp224k1 without success. (in both cases the parameters choice of G is the double of a point with a suspiciously sized x coordinate, and the same for both curves).
For those curves the choice of G is the only particularly high entropy input into their selection, and it's provably almost irrelevant-- the choice of it lets them know one specific arbitrary discrete log. (you can imagine a contrived protocol where this would be a backdoor, but it would be a pretty contrived protocol). But since it's the only really unknown parameter I thought it was worth searching for.
If someone does find the seed used for the P-curves it might also be similar to the one used for the the generators of those other curves and solve their minor mystery too.