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The End of Encryption?

Posted by michael on from the doom-and-gloom dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The encryption algorithms that make virtually all electronic commerce possible work only because certain mathematical problems are very, very hard to solve. But some mathematicians are trying to prove that there's really no difference between 'hard' and 'not hard' problems--known in the math biz as P and NP. In an article on TechnologyReview.com, Simson Garfinkel spells out the real-world consequences of this mathematical conundrum."

5 of 633 comments (clear)

  1. Eventually by StevenHenderson · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I think that eventually we will reach near-perfect, if not perfect encryption algorithms. Pardon my "n00b"-ness, but I am basing my limited knowledge off of Digital Fortress by Dan Brown, but an algorithm such as that - if you cannot comprehend it being created, you cannot think of it being cracked.

  2. setec astronomy by PetoskeyGuy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Did they also put their whole project into a microchip that connects to a modem and can figure out the username and password of any system no matter what it is from a generic login prompt?

    I hope people start making better movies soon. I don't want to see I,Robot come true.

  3. Re:More than Just P=NP by gweihir · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No it couldn't. Either P=NP or P!=NP. There's no "neither" option allowed.

    Correct, but there is a twist: It may be impossible to prove either (impossible in the mathematical sense), even when one of the two is clearly true. (See Gödels incompleteness theorem)

    And it may also be impossible to prove that there is no proof for either.

    Recurse as desired ;-)

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  4. Re:Sound of Silence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Is he related to Simon & Garfunkel?

    *** sound of Mt. Dew going through my nose *** BWAAAHHAAAHHAAAHAAH! That is PRICELESS! You, Sir, are a COMEDIC GENIUS! The next CARSON! Have you ever tried stand up? *** /me literally rolls on the floor, in pain from the laughing *** Please, next time, give us some warning so we don't choke on our food from your rapier-like wit!

    A modern day classic, that post! Will Rogers had NOTHING on you, Sir! Thank you! You made my day!

  5. Re:My favorite Simson Garfinkel work by Coryoth · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    sleep, what's that?

    A severely debilitating disease usually associated with malnutrition in the form of severe caffeine deficiency.

    Jedidiah.

    --
    Craft Beer Programming T-shirts