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comment by dingus
dingus  ·  3398 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: P Vs. NP: The Assumption That Runs The Internet

Obviously an algorithm such as that is just as ineffective as an exponential algorithm, but it's important to know if you can turn an exponential-time algorithm into a polynomial-time algorithm because it means that, in 10 years, you might find a symmetric algorithm for which the polynomial exponent is within the realm of breakability. In the meantime, if someone finds a faster exponential-time algorithm you just double the key size.