Quote from: BurtW on April 24, 2015, 09:20:02 PM

Quote from: no-rice-peas on April 24, 2015, 07:03:40 PM

Quote from: BurtW on April 24, 2015, 06:22:01 PM

Quote from: no-rice-peas on April 24, 2015, 12:55:08 AM

What is your opinion, derived from the thread you link to? Do you believe the thread points to bit coin being secure?

My personal opinion, after researching it quite thoroughly, is that the NSA had zero input into the parameters used to create the specific elliptical curve (secp256k1) used by the Bitcoin protocol.

This does not address possible weaknesses in the mathematics of elliptical curve cryptography in general.

This does not address possible entropy issues in the random private key generation, and just as importantly the random nonce generation, of any particular implementation.

This does not address possible weaknesses in the other cryptographic subsystems used in the Bitcoin protocol, specifically the hashing algorithms. Although I have looked into it and am personally fairly convinced that the hashing algorithms used are safe for our purposes.

I expected that answer.

My opinion is other than that.

With regard to secp256k1 do you have any facts to back up your opinion?

What concerns me is that every single vocal defender of the security of bitcoin's algorithm viz the NSA uses fallacious arguments, in my opinion, including you.

The suggestion as per your comment here is that a lack of evidence against secp256k1 would imply strength or security in bit coin, but that is not true. It's like saying "Oh, you do not live in Antarctica therefore you do not know snow". Further, the fact that such weak arguments are so pervasive concerns me.

Most bitcoiners believe it would take billions of years to crack bitcoin. But the truth is that nobody is going to crack it by brute force.

I am not a cryptographer, but I recognize bullshit and a lot of the defense of bit coin against possible NSA meddling is frankly bullshit.

1) There is a lot of material online about the NSA supposedly introducing deliberately flawed algorithms. The most serious of that material has been held back, even by Snowden.

2) Bitcoin relies on sha2 which is basically an NSA algorithm. In fact sha1 was tweaked by the NSA for reasons it chooses to keep secret.

3) The founder of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamota, is an unknown. I understand that there is a cult feeling around him for some people but all of the facts on top of his anonymity should be cause for pause.

4) Another very popular algorithm has been documented to my satisfaction as having originated with the NSA.