Is a bitcoin address collision possible if generating 90 million addresses every 4 hours?
I am running a test to see if I can obtain a successful bitcoin address collision after generating billions of addresses. I am not entirely sure how I would check them yet. Basically I have an extra 10TB hard drive and am running supervanitygen on my 32-core, 128gb ram linux work computer. It seems to be generating about 90,000,000 (90 million) addresses (address + private key pair) every 4 hours.
Do you think it's possible or likely to run into an address collision this way? Or perhaps if everyone in the world did the same thing? Or what if I waited 10-20 years, and then checked the addresses?
This is all just a test to see if the bitcoin system is secure enough for big investment decision.
bitcoin-core address-generation cryptography vanitygen
asked 4 hours ago
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I am running a test to see if I can obtain a successful bitcoin address collision after generating billions of addresses. I am not entirely sure how I would check them yet. Basically I have an extra 10TB hard drive and am running supervanitygen on my 32-core, 128gb ram linux work computer. It seems to be generating about 90,000,000 (90 million) addresses (address + private key pair) every 4 hours.
Do you think it's possible or likely to run into an address collision this way? Or perhaps if everyone in the world did the same thing? Or what if I waited 10-20 years, and then checked the addresses?
This is all just a test to see if the bitcoin system is secure enough for big investment decision.
bitcoin-core address-generation cryptography vanitygen
asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
61
New contributor
Anonymous User is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I am running a test to see if I can obtain a successful bitcoin address collision after generating billions of addresses. I am not entirely sure how I would check them yet. Basically I have an extra 10TB hard drive and am running supervanitygen on my 32-core, 128gb ram linux work computer. It seems to be generating about 90,000,000 (90 million) addresses (address + private key pair) every 4 hours.
Do you think it's possible or likely to run into an address collision this way? Or perhaps if everyone in the world did the same thing? Or what if I waited 10-20 years, and then checked the addresses?
This is all just a test to see if the bitcoin system is secure enough for big investment decision.
bitcoin-core address-generation cryptography vanitygen
asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
61
New contributor
Anonymous User is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I am running a test to see if I can obtain a successful bitcoin address collision after generating billions of addresses. I am not entirely sure how I would check them yet. Basically I have an extra 10TB hard drive and am running supervanitygen on my 32-core, 128gb ram linux work computer. It seems to be generating about 90,000,000 (90 million) addresses (address + private key pair) every 4 hours.
Do you think it's possible or likely to run into an address collision this way? Or perhaps if everyone in the world did the same thing? Or what if I waited 10-20 years, and then checked the addresses?
This is all just a test to see if the bitcoin system is secure enough for big investment decision.
bitcoin-core address-generation cryptography vanitygen
bitcoin-core address-generation cryptography vanitygen
asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
61
New contributor
Anonymous User is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
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Anonymous User is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
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asked 4 hours ago
Anonymous UserAnonymous User
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asked 4 hours ago
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2 Answers
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Because of the Birthday paradox, you only need 280 addresses (despite there existing 2160 different address combinations) before a collision becomes probable.
Thankfully, that is still an enormous number. At 90 million addresses per 4 hours, it will take about 445 times the age of the universe to reach that number.
It's also irrelevant. Even if anyone - or everyone - generates 90 million addresses per 4 hours, there aren't that many addresses receiving funds. Thus only actually used addresses matter.
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
add a comment |
A very relevant answer can be found here: Is Each Bitcoin Address Unique?
This is a question of the birthday attack on the hashes. Bitcoin addresses (assuming the "normal" style starting with a 1) encode 160 bit hashes, so the output space has a possible 2^160 hashes. Because its a hash function, we assume all outputs have equal probability of being output.
At the rate you gave in the OP, you would generate 1.971 * 10^11 addresses in 1 year. Using the approximate birthday formula n^2 / 2H, the probability of a collision in 1 year is thus roughly on the order of 10^-26. That is, basically 0. In 20 years that probability becomes around the order of 10^-24. Still basically 0. If all 8 billion people in the world generated addresses at that rate for 20 years, in total 3.1536 * 10^22 addresses would be generated. Even then, the probability of a collision is only around 0.0003. And remember that a collision like this is completely different from a targeted attack to find the private key of a specific address. If there was a collision, chances are overwhelming that there would be no funds ever sent to the address anyway, making the attack useless.
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
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2 Answers
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Because of the Birthday paradox, you only need 280 addresses (despite there existing 2160 different address combinations) before a collision becomes probable.
Thankfully, that is still an enormous number. At 90 million addresses per 4 hours, it will take about 445 times the age of the universe to reach that number.
It's also irrelevant. Even if anyone - or everyone - generates 90 million addresses per 4 hours, there aren't that many addresses receiving funds. Thus only actually used addresses matter.
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Because of the Birthday paradox, you only need 280 addresses (despite there existing 2160 different address combinations) before a collision becomes probable.
Thankfully, that is still an enormous number. At 90 million addresses per 4 hours, it will take about 445 times the age of the universe to reach that number.
It's also irrelevant. Even if anyone - or everyone - generates 90 million addresses per 4 hours, there aren't that many addresses receiving funds. Thus only actually used addresses matter.
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
add a comment |
Because of the Birthday paradox, you only need 280 addresses (despite there existing 2160 different address combinations) before a collision becomes probable.
Thankfully, that is still an enormous number. At 90 million addresses per 4 hours, it will take about 445 times the age of the universe to reach that number.
It's also irrelevant. Even if anyone - or everyone - generates 90 million addresses per 4 hours, there aren't that many addresses receiving funds. Thus only actually used addresses matter.
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
Because of the Birthday paradox, you only need 280 addresses (despite there existing 2160 different address combinations) before a collision becomes probable.
Thankfully, that is still an enormous number. At 90 million addresses per 4 hours, it will take about 445 times the age of the universe to reach that number.
It's also irrelevant. Even if anyone - or everyone - generates 90 million addresses per 4 hours, there aren't that many addresses receiving funds. Thus only actually used addresses matter.
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
edited 1 hour ago
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
answered 4 hours ago
Pieter WuillePieter Wuille
45.8k394154
45.8k394154
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
add a comment |
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
3
3
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
Also, in that case the collision would almost certainly be between two addresses you yourself generated... which isn't usually very useful for an attacker.
– G. Maxwell
4 hours ago
add a comment |
A very relevant answer can be found here: Is Each Bitcoin Address Unique?
This is a question of the birthday attack on the hashes. Bitcoin addresses (assuming the "normal" style starting with a 1) encode 160 bit hashes, so the output space has a possible 2^160 hashes. Because its a hash function, we assume all outputs have equal probability of being output.
At the rate you gave in the OP, you would generate 1.971 * 10^11 addresses in 1 year. Using the approximate birthday formula n^2 / 2H, the probability of a collision in 1 year is thus roughly on the order of 10^-26. That is, basically 0. In 20 years that probability becomes around the order of 10^-24. Still basically 0. If all 8 billion people in the world generated addresses at that rate for 20 years, in total 3.1536 * 10^22 addresses would be generated. Even then, the probability of a collision is only around 0.0003. And remember that a collision like this is completely different from a targeted attack to find the private key of a specific address. If there was a collision, chances are overwhelming that there would be no funds ever sent to the address anyway, making the attack useless.
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
add a comment |
A very relevant answer can be found here: Is Each Bitcoin Address Unique?
This is a question of the birthday attack on the hashes. Bitcoin addresses (assuming the "normal" style starting with a 1) encode 160 bit hashes, so the output space has a possible 2^160 hashes. Because its a hash function, we assume all outputs have equal probability of being output.
At the rate you gave in the OP, you would generate 1.971 * 10^11 addresses in 1 year. Using the approximate birthday formula n^2 / 2H, the probability of a collision in 1 year is thus roughly on the order of 10^-26. That is, basically 0. In 20 years that probability becomes around the order of 10^-24. Still basically 0. If all 8 billion people in the world generated addresses at that rate for 20 years, in total 3.1536 * 10^22 addresses would be generated. Even then, the probability of a collision is only around 0.0003. And remember that a collision like this is completely different from a targeted attack to find the private key of a specific address. If there was a collision, chances are overwhelming that there would be no funds ever sent to the address anyway, making the attack useless.
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
add a comment |
A very relevant answer can be found here: Is Each Bitcoin Address Unique?
This is a question of the birthday attack on the hashes. Bitcoin addresses (assuming the "normal" style starting with a 1) encode 160 bit hashes, so the output space has a possible 2^160 hashes. Because its a hash function, we assume all outputs have equal probability of being output.
At the rate you gave in the OP, you would generate 1.971 * 10^11 addresses in 1 year. Using the approximate birthday formula n^2 / 2H, the probability of a collision in 1 year is thus roughly on the order of 10^-26. That is, basically 0. In 20 years that probability becomes around the order of 10^-24. Still basically 0. If all 8 billion people in the world generated addresses at that rate for 20 years, in total 3.1536 * 10^22 addresses would be generated. Even then, the probability of a collision is only around 0.0003. And remember that a collision like this is completely different from a targeted attack to find the private key of a specific address. If there was a collision, chances are overwhelming that there would be no funds ever sent to the address anyway, making the attack useless.
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
A very relevant answer can be found here: Is Each Bitcoin Address Unique?
This is a question of the birthday attack on the hashes. Bitcoin addresses (assuming the "normal" style starting with a 1) encode 160 bit hashes, so the output space has a possible 2^160 hashes. Because its a hash function, we assume all outputs have equal probability of being output.
At the rate you gave in the OP, you would generate 1.971 * 10^11 addresses in 1 year. Using the approximate birthday formula n^2 / 2H, the probability of a collision in 1 year is thus roughly on the order of 10^-26. That is, basically 0. In 20 years that probability becomes around the order of 10^-24. Still basically 0. If all 8 billion people in the world generated addresses at that rate for 20 years, in total 3.1536 * 10^22 addresses would be generated. Even then, the probability of a collision is only around 0.0003. And remember that a collision like this is completely different from a targeted attack to find the private key of a specific address. If there was a collision, chances are overwhelming that there would be no funds ever sent to the address anyway, making the attack useless.
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
answered 4 hours ago
MeshCollider♦MeshCollider
8,24131239
8,24131239
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
add a comment |
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
"A collision can't be a collision if there were no funds ever sent to the address" in regards to the last sentence of your answer. Other than that, great answer! Thank you!
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
@AnonymousUser You say you're able to generate 90 million addresses per 4 hours. MeshCollider is pointing out that that's actually irrelevant, as there aren't 90 million addresses being paid at that rate.
– Pieter Wuille
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
Oh gotcha, you may want to be more clear in that. Thanks again.
– Anonymous User
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Anonymous User is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Anonymous User is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Anonymous User is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Anonymous User is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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