From: "McGrath, James" <MCGRATHJ%GRNET@lan.lincoln.cri.nz>
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 92 13:47:01 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: No Subject
Message-ID: <9212082145.AA14652@crop.lincoln.cri.nz>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Karl said: 

> Also, p and q should differ in length by a few digits otherwise
> an enemy may begin to try factoring n by starting near sqrt(n).

When PGP generates keys doesn't it always pick d and e to have
the same number of bits, ie 446 for the strongest type?

Is this the same thing? 

I suppose that if you are allowed leading 0s it isn't a problem
at all, but if the first couple of bits were ones in each key, (a
16:1 chance) wouldn't that significantly reduce the power
required to factor the PK using this approach?

Just a thought,

Jim