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Re:Illegal prime by oscardelben on Monday January 11, 2010 @10:40AM (#1045247)
I still don't get how a prime number can reveal hidden information. Can someone please explain me the process?
Re:Illegal prime by niyazpk on Monday January 11, 2010 @10:48AM (#1045270)
From the article: Its binary representation corresponds to a compressed version of the C source code of a computer program.
Re:Illegal prime by etherealG on Monday January 11, 2010 @10:51AM (#1045284)
it doesn't reveal information except that it is a constant that is used as part of a process of encryption where without the constant cracking that encryption would be effectively impossible and with it cracking the encryption is trivial.

effectively the number is the encryption, as having the number makes the encryption useless. the rest of the algorithm is pointless without the number and vice versa.

Re:Illegal prime by lt on Monday January 11, 2010 @11:15AM (#1045343)
That's a different number, not the one the article is about.

The one in question is a compressed version of a c program that breaks encryption.