# Schnorr's factorization algorithm **URL:** \ **Category:** Issuance Policy\ **Created:** [March 3, 2021, 1:33am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550 "2021-03-03T01:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![schoen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/schoen/32/79_2.png) [@schoen](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/schoen)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 1:33am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/1 "2021-03-03T01:33:28Z")
C.P. Schnorr, a famous mathematical cryptographer (the inventor of Schnorr signatures), has just released a new paper claiming a polynomial-time factorization algorithm which he says represents a significant improvement on attacking RSA: [https://eprint.iacr.org/2021/232](https://eprint.iacr.org/2021/232) I haven't seen discussions of this on m.d.s.p, cabfpub, or Scott Aaronson's blog. Has anyone seen an assessment of this by a knowledgeable number theorist? ---
**Author:** ![petercooperjr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/petercooperjr/32/84698_2.png) [@petercooperjr](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/petercooperjr)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/2 "2021-03-03T01:44:32Z")
This is the first I've heard of it, but it does look pretty new and it probably takes some time for the experts to dig into it. I do wonder if it might be related to why the [NSA recently recommended a minimum of 3072 bits for RSA keys](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/why-is-the-nsa-deprecating-p256-ecdhe/142096). That's just _complete_ speculation, though. ---
**Author:** ![JamesLE](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/jamesle/32/49364_2.png) [@JamesLE](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/JamesLE)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/3 "2021-03-03T02:53:04Z")
There seems to be [some speculation on Twitter](https://twitter.com/ManishEarth/status/1366898044470403072) that this is an outdated draft, and the abstract may be misleading. ---
**Author:** ![bruncsak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/bruncsak/32/18414_2.png) [@bruncsak](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/bruncsak)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/4 "2021-03-03T19:15:39Z")
If the algorithm is effective, a misinformation campaign about its effectiveness or correctness, or completeness, or simply telling that it is an old stuff has high value. ---
**Author:** ![petercooperjr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/petercooperjr/32/84698_2.png) [@petercooperjr](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/petercooperjr)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/5 "2021-03-04T16:54:35Z")
There's some further discussion over on Crypto StackExchange: > ---
**Author:** ![HardcoreGames](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/hardcoregames/32/25223_2.png) [@HardcoreGames](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/HardcoreGames)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/6 "2021-03-04T17:37:03Z")
16 kilobit keys should be fairly safe for now ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/original/3X/c/a/ca6c06ea1ea201324bba7048c6841ce60236468d.png) [@system](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/schnorrs-factorization-algorithm/146550/7 "2021-04-03T17:37:57Z")
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