Question

We are studying on the Public Key Encryption/Decryption.

Q3. Bob just discovered an efficient algorithm to factor large numbers, i.e., for any given number n, Bob can factor the number in O(log(n)) time. Please describe the impact of this discovery on the RSA algorithm.

Answer 1

RSA is an algorithm is asymmetric algorithm used in cryptography. Asymmetric means, it works on two types of keys i.e. Public Key and Private Key.

A public key cryptosystem is built up of several components. First, there is the set M of possible messages (potential plaintexts and ciphertexts). There is also the set K of “keys. For each key k, there is an encryption function ek and a decryption function dk.

The security of RSA encryption’s scheme depends on the hardness of the RSA problem.

RSA algorithm is slow therefore it not used for direct encryption of user data. It requires third party to verify the public key.

If all the disadvantages of RSA algorithm has been overcome by the new discovered algorithm than the impact on RSA will be that it might be less preferable than the newly discovered one.