RSA crypto defiled again

Yet another domino in the RSA encryption scheme has fallen with the announcement that cryptographers have broken 768-bit keys using the widely used public-key algorithm, writes The Register.

An international team of mathematicians, computer scientists and cryptographers broke the key though number field sieve, which allowed them to deduce two prime numbers that, when multiplied together, generated a number with 768 bits.

The discovery, which took about two-and-a-half years and hundreds of general-purpose computers, means RSA keys can no longer be counted on to encrypt or authenticate sensitive communications.

The European Commission (EC) Directorate General for Competition has published details of its anti-trust procedures following stinging criticisms from US database giant Oracle, which is angry over the EC's handling of its proposed takeover of Sun, says Computing.co.uk.

Oracle has been especially critical about the time it has taken EC regulators to investigate the deal, especially since Sun is reported to be losing $100 million per month since Oracle's initial offer in April 2009.

The EC has released three documents detailing its modus operandi: "Best practices for anti-trust proceedings", "Best practices for the submission of economic evidence (both in anti-trust and merger proceedings)", and "Guidance on the role of the hearing officers in the context of anti-trust proceedings".

Microsoft and HP have teamed up to introduce a slate computer ahead of Apple's much rumoured device release, reports the BBC.

The firms unveiled the Windows 7-powered touch-screen machine at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas.

The aim of the device is to bridge the gap between laptops and smartphones.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs more time to come up with its National Broadband Plan, which was supposed to be submitted to Congress next month, states CNet.

The FCC said on Wednesday that it is asking lawmakers to extend the17 February deadline for its report by at least a month. The report, which the FCC has been working on since April, was funded by Congress as part of president Barack Obama's economic stimulus package.

A task force was formed to develop a policy blueprint for encouraging affordable and ubiquitous broadband for every American.