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Finding MD5 Collisions With Chinese Lottery

Posted by simoniker on from the soon-to-be-distributed-slashdotting dept.

Stanislav Shalunov writes "Jean-Luc Cooke posted a Usenet article describing a distributed webpage-based effort (Chinese Lottery) to find a collision in the MD5 function. All you need to do to participate in the effort is visit the URL that loads the code. The author comments: 'What is interesting about this approach - when we reach final release stage - is that any website that adds this small snippet of code to their pages will have their visitors working on the problem for the duration of their visit to the site'."

6 of 303 comments (clear)

  1. Uhh.. by TCM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From the link:

    You run an Applet, it reports to us the search results. Distributed computing without installing anything...and without people knowing you're stealing their idle CPU time. ;)

    I don't know about you but I wouldn't lean out the window with the fact that I'm stealing from others.

    Idle CPU time might be unused but I still want to know what my box is doing and why.

    --
    Of course it runs NetBSD. BTC: 1NT7QvbetmANwaMzhpVL6
  2. Oh, lovely, distributed Javascript computing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Perhaps we could tie this to some sort of micropayment system. You come do distributed work on my website, and you get to view it. Some third party pays me for the cycles, and I have a new revenue stream!

  3. That's really interesting... by herrvinny · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's a really interesting way of doing it. For the people who don't know, here's a quick explanation:

    Java Applets, because of the sandbox they're run in, can't open up a network connection to any website, except for the websie they came from. Presumably, what they're doing is creating a small Java applet, that when loaded, executes some logic, then opens up a network connection back home and sends the results.

    Fascinating. This way, you don't have to bother installing something and hope it doesn't fsck up your computer. It might be slightly less efficient than a dedicated, installed program, but this way, they can harness the power of a computer just casually browsing a web page. Very innovative.

  4. Re:Normal Thread Priority by mlk · · Score: 5, Informative

    Java applets run as a different process to the browser, and it can (and very likely does) create a new thread, and set its priority to low.

    --
    Wow, I should not post when knackered.
  5. Re:Hmmm. by __aaitqo8496 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder if the good slashdot people would be willing to make this into a slashbox ?

  6. Re:Not ethical by Phillup · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I completely agree with your sentiment about being upfront... I don't agree with calling it "stealing".

    Who clicked on the link?

    Who has Java enabled on their browser?

    Who has cookies enabled on their browser?

    It isn't like he is doing anything "tricky" or using some "bug" to pull this off. The page doesn't "trap" you. It doesn't eat your CPU and make it impossible to quit the app or go to another page. And, for me, it didn't crash anything.

    I *really* don't understand how this can even remotely be considered stealing. Every single item is being used *as*designed* both by the web author and you.

    The way I see it... someone jumped in a pool... and now they are bitching about your clothes being wet?

    --

    --Phillip

    Can you say BIRTH TAX