The RSA algorithm has become an encryption standard for many e-commerce security applications. The patent for it was issued to MIT on Sept. 20, 1983, and licensed exclusively to RSA Security.

Despite RSA's gesture, several competitors who have paid royalties for use of the algorithm for up to 17 years, argue that the industry could have done with the patent relaxation earlier.

The method, outlined in a scientific paper published in late December, could be used to break the RSA algorithm that underpins most online encryption using a quantum machine with only 372 qubits ...