Re: Non-PK encryption not vulnerable via low key length?!

[jbb () cs umb edu (John B. Brown)]

Dear Folks,

> From owner-bugtraq () fc net Fri Mar 17 06:42:18 1995
> Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 12:42:18 -0600 (CST)
> From: Allan Sutton <asutton () tenagra com>
> To: Software Test Account <softtest () wu1 wl aecl ca>

> On Thu, 16 Mar 1995, Software Test Account wrote:
> > RC2 and RC4 are both public key systems -- then why wouldn't factoring 
> > the key prove equally as (greatly more) effective as with attacks on 
> > RSA/PGP. 

> This is the crux of the matter. RC2 and RC4 are _not_ public key systems. 
> They are conventional secret key algorithms, in the same class as DES or 
> IDEA.

> Allan Sutton
> asutton () tenagra com


        If they are in the same class as DES, then they are in
BIG trouble! The $1M machine proposed by Michael J. Weiner in
`Efficient DES Key Search' does in DES in 3.5 hours. according
to the 'math'. Of course, anyone Big Brother wants to hear, he
WILL hear.

        Shalom,

        JBB.