
Show HN: A simple app to cryptographically time-lock files - barkding
https://github.com/thread314/chrono-locker
======
klysm
The subject is discussed at length (and referenced by the repo) here
[https://www.gwern.net/Self-decrypting-files](https://www.gwern.net/Self-
decrypting-files) for those interested in more. Gwern has mentioned it at
least once on HN previously as well
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16295313](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16295313)

------
csense
The problem with this is that time is fungible against money.

So if you set your file to take 3650 days for a single computer to decrypt,
you can get it way ahead of time by using 365 computers for 10 days.

Obviously cloud computing makes the short-term rental of a few hundred
computers relatively cheap and easy to arrange.

------
TheTank
I find the concept interesting and I can see real applications for something
like this (delaying someone's access to a file). For example, one could use
that to disseminate press releases ahead of time without actually revealing
the contents.

That said, it seems the current implementation is impractical because you will
"on average" decypher after a certain time, but that time can vary greatly.
Are there plans or methods to explore in order to make this more
deterministic?

~~~
barkding
That's a very good question, one I've been thinking about a lot. The current
implementation, has even distribution. Even changing it to normal distribution
would greatly improve this. Not certain yet how to achieve this, however.

