What is RCx? (cracking)

[Kitros]

What exacitically is RC4, RC5, etc...? I see it thrown around here and there, people wanting to assimilate us into the TA Cube...

But what is it all about? What are you cracking when you crack an RC4 or 5? Are there more levels?

 

[notfred]

<< What exacitically is RC4, RC5, etc...? I see it thrown around here and there, people wanting to assimilate us into the TA Cube...

But what is it all about? What are you cracking when you crack an RC4 or 5? Are there more levels? >>



Um, do you mean RC5-64?

 

[GigaCluster]

RCx is an encryption algorithm, and yes, we are trying to crack it in this point in time. The reason is that the U.S. government allows export of a relatively weak version of this algorithm (only 64 bits) and we're trying to demonstrate that the 64-bit version of RC5 is pretty easy to crack. That's the basic run-down.
Go to distributed.net for a more in-depth look at this project.

 

[notfred]

<< we're trying to demonstrate that the 64-bit version of RC5 is pretty easy to crack. >>



Yeah, only had a million computers working on it for 4 years, pretty damn easy...

 

[kranky]

The RC5 project tries to decode a message. The program runs in the background on your PC and it doesn't interfere with anything else you do. When you are doing something, the program waits until the PC is idle. Feel free to stop by the Distributed Computing forum here, you'll get a warm welcome.

 

[optoman]

Check the distributed forums here at Anandtech for all of your answers!