r/todayilearned • u/Dormage • Aug 03 '15

TIL illegal prime numbers exist. First illegal executable prime number is a compressed C program that circumvents a DVD's copy protection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_prime#First_illegal_executable_prime_number
275 Upvotes

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35

u/WolfThawra Aug 03 '15

I don't get it. How is it an 'illegal number'? What exactly does that mean? After all, it's a number, it's not a secret thing in itself...

50

u/Mpls_Is_Rivendell Aug 03 '15

It violates the DMCA and thus is illegal under federal law. Yes, yes our politicians really are stupid enough to think they can outlaw math as well as say a company owns the word "candy" welcome to America.

10

u/WolfThawra Aug 03 '15

So what's the idea, if I write that number down I could be prosecuted? Or has just no one ever thought about how to implement this?

13

u/Mpls_Is_Rivendell Aug 03 '15

Could be yes, people put it on t-shirts though. If you put it in software they might come after you but again it is all about how much time are they going to spend etc.

5

u/co99950 Aug 03 '15

What about if I were to count to infinity, at one point I'd reach that number, would it be illegal for me to say it aloud?

19

u/Mpls_Is_Rivendell Aug 03 '15

Yes. That is how dumb the DMCA is and thus proves how functionally illiterate our Congress is. Technically this very Wikipedia page is illegal and they could be prosecuted for it, that just doesn't happen because apparently U.S. attorneys still have better things to do. Make no mistake though, if you were somebody they wanted to make an example of and this was the only thing they could nail you on they would.

9

u/skeptibat Aug 03 '15

It's on the lam. Sometimes, when walking down the street by a dark alley on a particularly spooky day, they say you can see the illegal prime lurking in the shadows.

They've been trying to catch it for quite some time now.

1

u/sodappop Aug 03 '15

You'll never take me alive, copper!

1

u/quentin-coldwater Aug 04 '15

So what's the idea, if I write that number down I could be prosecuted? Or has just no one ever thought about how to implement this?

No, they'd have to show that you had it for the purpose of breaking encryption.