Generate Large Prime Factors

Simple Linux commands to generate large prime factors

1. Generate prime Candidates

   • ssh-keygen -G candidates -b 2048

   • Creates a file called candidates in current directory
2. Find prime from candidates

   • ssh-keygen -T moduli -f candidates

   • Creates a file called moduli in current directory, taking input from the candidates file
3. Pick two primes from moduli file
4. Create a product

   • export BC_LINE_LENGTH=0

   • echo 'obase=16;ibase=16;<prime>*<prime>'|bc

5. Optionally convert Hex to Decimal

   1. echo 'obase=10; ibase=16; $hexNum' | bc

Other suggestions

• Generate multiple candidates/moduli files with different bit size and make prime factors out of them for security