(question) Encrypting a single file

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Mike Kallies <mike.kallies-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>

| "The algorithm used is breakable. A 4 character key in about one hour, a
| 6 character key in one day (on a Pentium 133 PC). ..."
| 

| Does anyone know if this has improved?

Yes.  I have a computer much faster than a Pentium 133.

Without actual research: 4 character keys are easy to brute-force.  
Nothing using a 4 character key is safe.  Brute forcing is an 
embarassingly parallel problem so it can easily be sped up by using a 
bunch of computers.

By choosing the right cypher you can change the cost of brute forcing
by a modes constant factor.  Not enough to change the landsape.

Rainbow tables may already exist for the cypher used by VIM (I don't
know).  That could make breaking it very quick.

Of course we know that 4 digit keys (PINs) are perfectly safe :-)
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