RE: Why are 1024 bit keys the limit right now?

["Mark M." <markm@voicenet.com>]

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On Wed, 8 Jan 1997, James A. Tunnicliffe wrote:

> All current versions of PGP allow key sizes up to 2048* bits.  (When
> asked for the size of the key to generate, it allows you to select 512,
> 768, 1024, OR TO *TYPE IN THE NUMBER OF BITS DESIRED*.) There are older,
> partially incompatible versions that allow even larger keys, though
> there is little reason to go higher. Beyond something like 3100 bits, it
> is surmised that the 128-bit IDEA session key is easier to attack.

RSAREF limits the size of the key being generated to 1024 bits.  RSADSI
permitted PGP to distribute a slightly altered version that supports keys up
to 2048 bits with the U.S. version.  2.6.3 does not have the altered RSAREF
code, so the U.S. version cannot use keys larger than 1024 bits (unless, of
course, one uses the rsaref library distributed with 2.6.2).


Mark
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