No More Secure Internet; But There Is An Upside (from ATSNN), page 1

Published in the Guardian Unlimited on September 7 was the announcement that mathemeticians were close to solving a proof of the Reimann hypothosis. The proof of such could render internet security impotent, but could allow for the accurate mapping of multi-dimensional space in 3D.

www.guardian.co.uk
"Mathematicians could be on the verge of solving two separate million dollar problems. If they are right - still a big if - and somebody really has cracked the so-called Riemann hypothesis, financial disaster might follow. Suddenly all cryptic codes could be breakable. No internet transaction would be safe.

On the other hand, if somebody has already sorted out the so-called Poincar� conjecture, then scientists will understand something profound about the nature of spacetime, experts told the British Association science festival in Exeter yesterday."

"The Riemann hypothesis would explain the apparently random pattern of prime numbers - numbers such as 3, 17 and 31, for instance, are all prime numbers: they are divisible only by themselves and one. Prime numbers are the atoms of arithmetic. They are also the key to internet cryptography: in effect they keep banks safe and credit cards secure."

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The world of internet business will have to completely re-think its approach to security. While no mention was made of government security, thier encryption is likely to be compromised as well.

The real question is, who will make use of this information first; domestic criminals, terrorists, or soveriegn enemies? Also, without secure transactions, will e-business be driven under before it can develope and adapt a new way to handle security?