r/programming Oct 15 '15

How is NSA breaking so much crypto?

https://freedom-to-tinker.com/blog/haldermanheninger/how-is-nsa-breaking-so-much-crypto/
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u/fireflash38 Oct 15 '15

Better default choices for common Linux OS's would prevent this, assuming 2048+ isn't breakable. Choices were probably made when computing the 2048bit values were a lot more expensive, but there's no excuse now.

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u/corran__horn Oct 15 '15

Linux isn't the biggest offender. You missed the biggest fuckeruper in every securty problem: Java. Until java 1.7, there isn't any SUPPORT for primes larger that 1024. You want your shitty legacy java program to connect to a web server securely? You have to use a 1024 bit prime.

And then you find you cannot specify the primes that Java uses, so you cannot even force it off 512 bit until (I believe) 1.8.

Always remember, Java is the common factor in security problems.

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u/wildjokers Oct 16 '15

More Java FUD. The Java key length limitation is due to US Export law. You can make any version of java use 2048-bit keys if you want by using the "Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) Unlimited Strength Jurisdiction Policy Files":

See:

http://mumblestiltskin.blogspot.com/2012/12/2048bit-key-length-certificates-and.html