The RSA algorithm works because, when n is sufficiently large, deriving d from a known e and n will be an impractically long calculation — unless we know p, in which case we can use the shortcut.

The algorithm allows a message sender to generate a public keys to encrypt the message and the receiver is sent a generated private key using a secured database.

Based on the data they collected, they concluded “1,024-bit RSA provides 99.8% security at best.” BACKGROUND: Crypto experts analyze millions of X.509 certificates, call RSA crypto flawed ...

The previous RSA record was set in 2010, with a key of 232 decimal digits and 768 bits. “We were actually faster than the previous record, even though we computed something larger,” says Thomé.