Cryptocurrency Q&A
How long does it take to brute force a Bitcoin private key?
How long does it take to brute force a Bitcoin private key?
Leonardo
Thu Aug 08 2024
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5 answers
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I'm curious, how long does it actually take to brute force a Bitcoin private key? Given the complexity and security measures involved in cryptocurrency, I imagine it would be a herculean task. But what's the estimated timeframe we're looking at here? And what factors might influence that estimate? Is it a matter of hours, days, or perhaps even years? I'm eager to learn more about the intricacies of this process.
5 answers
Rosalia
Sat Aug 10 2024
The Bitcoin private key space is vast, with a size of 2^256 possible combinations. This means that, even with a machine capable of checking 9 million BTC-addresses per second, it would take an incredibly long time to brute force a single private key.
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KatanaBlade
Sat Aug 10 2024
Brute forcing a Bitcoin private key is an inefficient and time-consuming method that should be avoided. It involves attempting to guess the private key through trial and error, which can take an exorbitant amount of time and resources.
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HallyuHero
Sat Aug 10 2024
To understand the magnitude of this task, let's consider the example of a machine capable of checking 9 million BTC-addresses per second. This figure, while impressive, is still dwarfed by the sheer number of possible private keys.
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BlockProducer
Fri Aug 09 2024
Specifically, if we use the formula 2^(256-23) to calculate the time required, we arrive at a staggering 2^137 seconds. This figure is so large that it is essentially impossible to comprehend in human terms.
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BlockchainWizardGuard
Fri Aug 09 2024
To put this into perspective, the universe has only existed for around 13.8 billion years, which translates to approximately 4.35 x 10^17 seconds. In comparison, the time required to brute force a single Bitcoin private key is billions of times longer than the age of the universe.
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