Implications Of The Recent RSA Vulnerability

[erythrocyte]

On 3/11/2010 3:29 PM, Dan Mahoney, System Admin wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Mar 2010, erythrocyte wrote:
>> Ref:
>> http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/1024-bit-rsa-encryption-cracked-by-carefully-starving-cpu-of-ele/
>>
> 
> Okay, let me sum up this article for you:
> 
> Researchers who had physical enough access to be able to rewire the
> private-key-holder's system's power supply were able to compromise that
> system.
> 
> If you're at that point, I don't think key length is your problem.

Alrighty. But doesn't this compromise the layer of security offered by
the passphrase? What's the point having a passphrase at all, if it's so
easy to compromise a private key?