Thread:Cardshark92/@comment-13488655-20151002100034/@comment-26130256-20151002195758

Probably not, given that using numbers big enough to be secure would involve doing 30-ish digit calculations in your head.

But my idea would be that somewhere/somehow, some smart guy solved the problem and discovered a shortcut to prime factorization. This would basically mean that 90% of the encryption systems in the world would be worthless. Someone killed the scientist and stole the info, which fell into the hands of the Blackbriars. Azulius and the Harlequins stole it from them and gave it to "The Forest". And now something has happened, and the secret formula is at risk of falling into the wrong hands. Though a plot this big may need more players than you and I.