And the only reason to make a key that short is if you were trying to give them to someone who shouldn’t have them, and needed to avoid any sort of digital trail, even copy and paste… so you would obviously just memorize them.
Memorizing a bunch of 384 bit keys is basically impossible… But memorizing a couple dozen numbers? Child’s play.
Considering keys like this are usually copied and pasted anywhere they might need to be manually entered… There is zero reason to make them small enough to be human-readable, unless that’s your actual intended use.
Anyone in a position where they are responsible for generating a root key for a certificate authority, 100% knows how to generate a key in their sleep.
The only explanation is that it was made easy intentionally, not lazily.
And the only reason to make a key that short is if you were trying to give them to someone who shouldn’t have them, and needed to avoid any sort of digital trail, even copy and paste… so you would obviously just memorize them.
Memorizing a bunch of 384 bit keys is basically impossible… But memorizing a couple dozen numbers? Child’s play.
If that’s what they needed, just remember an equation that turns easily remembered numbers into a 384 bit key.
You underestimate the power of laziness and incompetence, I think
Considering keys like this are usually copied and pasted anywhere they might need to be manually entered… There is zero reason to make them small enough to be human-readable, unless that’s your actual intended use.
“I need a 384-bit key… I have no idea how to generate one… oh, screw it… 4”
Anyone in a position where they are responsible for generating a root key for a certificate authority, 100% knows how to generate a key in their sleep.
The only explanation is that it was made easy intentionally, not lazily.