[tptacek]

As I understand it from talking to patent lawyers: they're patenting the specific use of the algorithm, not the algorithm itself. It's "use of such-and-such formula to accomplish security goal X in an electronic computer system" that's at play, not the fundamental math.

[brlewis]

Just for fun, next time a patent lawyer tells you that, ask them to explain how such a patent is distinguished from Flook's patent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_v._Flook

[tptacek]

Will do!