TheECCp-109 projecttries to solveCerticom’sECCp-109 challenge–to solve a particular elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem. The Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) is the basis for a powerful cryptosystem, and Certicom is offering USD $10,000 for the solution. But before you go nuts spending it, let me describe how this money will be distributed: The solution will be found by exactly two machines out of the many running around computing points on a particular elliptic curve. When two machines have computed the same point, the solution will have been reached with very high probability. Each of the two people responsible for the final solution will get USD $1000,and the remaining USD $8000 will go to theFree Software Foundationwhich, among other things, helps to support theGNU Project.
The project started on April 14, 2001, and more than 8,300 people have signed up since then, most joining one of220 teams. They have collectively computed about 57,000,000 distinguished points, roughly 57% of the total points needed to find the solution. Based on the results received during the last 30 days, there is a 33% chance the project will end within the next 60 days, a 47% chance it will end within 90 days, and a 77% chance within 180 days.
