An application of factoring

We explain how factoring polynomials over finite fields can be used in computing logarithms in fields of characteristic two, and how this has applications in cryptography. This letter describes work which is described in more detail in Coppersmith (1984)—here we concentrate on the use of computer algebra, in particular the new SCRATCHPAD system (Jenks, 1984). © 1985, Academic Press Inc. (London) Ltd.. All rights reserved.