<p>Ripple uses the same signature scheme as Bitcoin, 256-bit ECDSA keys and elliptic curve SECP256k1. It takes about 5 times more CPU effort to verify a 512-bit ECDSA signature than a 256-bit ECDSA signature and signature verification is a <em>huge</em> CPU load for both Bitcoin and Ripple. And, of course, keys and signatures are twice as long.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-09T20:00:09.613Z
2013-09-09T20:13:44.597Z
2013-09-09T20:13:44.597Z
David Schwartz
<p><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1lubl1/wired_oped_worries_that_elliptic_curve/cc2vhos" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1lubl1/wired_oped_worries_that_elliptic_curve/cc2vhos</a> suggests that key lengths &lt; 500 bits are no longer considered secure from the NSA.  What key length is Ripple using?</p>

<ripple><cryptography>
What is the ECC key length for OpenCoin's implementation of Ripple?
user6660
# What is the ECC key length for OpenCoin's implementation of Ripple?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-06)

<http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1lubl1/wired_oped_worries_that_elliptic_curve/cc2vhos> suggests that key lengths < 500 bits are no longer considered secure from the NSA. What key length is Ripple using?

**Tags:** ripple, cryptography


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-09. Score: 3

Ripple uses the same signature scheme as Bitcoin, 256-bit ECDSA keys and elliptic curve SECP256k1. It takes about 5 times more CPU effort to verify a 512-bit ECDSA signature than a 256-bit ECDSA signature and signature verification is a *huge* CPU load for both Bitcoin and Ripple. And, of course, keys and signatures are twice as long.


---

