PR_Weaver - 7:57 am on Sep 16, 2004 (gmt 0)

As you may know Google checksum algorithm has been cracked and was released all over the web in june. Since that time, many people developed tools based on this cracked code.

Since the time this cracked was released Google hasn't updated the PageRank and I wonder if this could be an explanation for the non PageRank update on the Google Toolbar.

On the 9th of september Google changed the toolbar checksum algorithm, but as hackers have already cracked it in the past and as the new checksum algorithm is similar to the old one, they will probably succeed.

According to the comments in my blog (ask me the URL in PM), hackers are working to crack it again.

In order to avoid such crack one of the solutions for Google would be to add a new factor to its algorithm.

Until now Google's checksum algorithm is only based on one factor: the URL. Once the algorithm is cracked, it is easy to get the PageRank from a URL.

Now, imagine if Google changes the algorithm to base it on two factors (the URL and the unique ID of the user's computer for example), what would happen? Everybody would have a different checksum for the same URL, so all cracked and server solutions would instantly be useless with no hope to get back in the game.

Regards

PR Weaver