The thread is about brute forcing private keys, not about breaking secp256k1
I will try one more time.
This is the algorithm for "bute forcing" a public/private key pair:
a) Key
public = G, Key
private = 1
b) Is Key
pubic the key we are looking for?
c) If yes Key
private is the one you are looking for so quit
d) else Key
public = Key
pubic + G, Key
private = Key
private + 1
e) goto b)
Note the following:
The operation Key
pubic + G requires
many mathematical steps
If you are looking for a Bitcoin address you have to do even more mathematical steps on each trial to hash the public key
three times
Now consider this much easier problem, just Key
private = Key
private + 1
Imagine a physical device which simply counts the numbers from 1 to n where n is the largest possible private key, a simple 256 bit counter. That is all it does is count. It is only the simplest part of the algorithm described above.
This counter can be made using
any possible future technology, it just has to obey the laws of physics and thermodynamics.
This perfect device will count a fast a physically possible using the lowest physically possible amount of energy to do it.
How long would it take to just count from 1 to n?
How much energy would it take?
BTW n = FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFF FFFFFFFE BAAEDCE6 AF48A03B BFD25E8C D0364141
Hmm, yeah I know I've been saying this in many posts...
I was answering Nagan who said that breaking secp256k1 would help brute-forcing private keys