For Texas Instruments, Calculator Hackers Don't Add Up

Repost of the original message that started it all -- spread it far and wide:<p><pre><code> Gentlemen, A mathematical morsel for your entertainment and edification. The number 6,857,599,914,349,403,977,654,744,967, 172,758,179,904,114,264,612,947,326, 127,169,976,133,296,980,951,450,542, 789,808,884,504,301,075,550,786,464, 802,304,019,795,402,754,670,660,318, 614,966,266,413,770,127 is the product of 5,174,413,344,875,007,990,519,123,187, 618,500,139,954,995,264,909,695,897, 020,209,972,309,881,454,541 and 1,325,290,319,363,741,258,636,842,042, 448,323,483,211,759,628,292,406,959, 481,461,131,759,210,884,908,747.</code></pre>

If you use a 512-bit RSA modulus then you are asking for it to be factored. I am in the process of factorizing the 512-bit RSA modulus of a very famous company and will disclose it (responsibly) once it is done. Factorizing keys of that size is doable on high-end consumer hardware with a little patience.

The more fundamental question here: can the DMCA really be used to prevent a person from factoring a number and disclosing the results? This is insanity.

<i>Tom Cross, a security technology researcher in Atlanta, received a cease-and-desist letter from TI after merely posting about the hackers on his blog, ... [and] took down his link.</i><p>Excuse me, taking down a link to a discussion of the key? Does the DMCA really extend that far? If it does, it really sounds like it could be challenged on First Amendment grounds. Otherwise, either this guy has no backbone, or there is more to the story.

The original forum thread was entertaining to read after the fact (parts have since been redacted).<p>"Oh my good lord...<p>You need to explain how you did this. Now. To somebody.<p>EDIT: I just confirmed this is what I think it is. This needs to go to ticalc.org. Are you being intentionally cryptic about this and want to stay unknown?"<p><a href="http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?showtopic=8888" rel="nofollow">http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?showtopic=8888</a><p>(via <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=771736" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=771736</a>)

What could TI's motivation possibly be? How could they lose any business by hackers modifying firmware? Instead, it seems it would be more likely to increase hardware sales.

Link to Brandon Wilson's site with the key back up: <a href="http://www.brandonw.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.brandonw.net/</a><p>Link to a letter from TI: <a href="http://www.brandonw.net/calcstuff/DMCA_notice.txt" rel="nofollow">http://www.brandonw.net/calcstuff/DMCA_notice.txt</a>

In the last 10 years, computers have advanced tremendously. Why do I still see the same TI-whatever calculators in on the store shelves? They don't need to play video or browse the web, but you'd think they'd at least be thinner.<p>Does TI have any competitors? Do they have an exclusive agreement to supply calculators that can be used on standardized tests?

Does anyone know if such mods can be done on calculators with no programming power?Like casio Fx- series. I have a fx-911MS so was just curious.

Anyone else think that picture resembles a headline from The Onion?

umm...amidst of all these no-doubt informative discussion, I found no one here appreciated how cool Hardware Hacking can be. And when it is done with something as minimalist as a Calculator(while these have more power than the first PDPs at MIT labs),there is just one word for it <i>MIND BLOWING</i>. I mean...look at them, they are making fcking <i>GAMES</i> for these. DUDE even FPS?A FPS on a calculator,in your face X-Box.