Duplicate private keys

[J35st3r]

Here is a bitcoin address 12M4QznuNZH2BRVbLK8SKvNqGTPJpCpST7 (no coin there ... yet!)

And this is it's private key 5Km2kuu7vtFDPpxywn4u3NLu8iSdrqhxWT8tUKjeEXs2f9yxoWz

The hexadecimal key is 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

But it also is FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Any ideas why?

Yes, I was just playing with bitaddress.org, but I'm curious.

[nagisa]

probably because

hex (0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000) = dec(0)

hex (FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) = dec (-1)

[J35st3r]

probably because

hex (0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000) = dec(0)

hex (FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) = dec (-1)

Interesting theory, but I think not.

Actually it seems to be a bug/feature in bitaddress.org as entering 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 as the private key in the wallet details panel simply fails to update the previous result (I've been playing with it a bit more today ... it seems I must have entered FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF previously to 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 and thus got the same result).

No matter then as all is now clear.

Its interesting to see what trivial keys have actually been used, for instance 1EHNa6Q4Jz2uvNExL497mE43ikXhwF6kZm has seen a few transactions (its empty now), can anyone hazard it's private key?

[J35st3r]

Deleted

That's just spamming.  Bad person.

PS its gone now, thanks mods 

[DannyHamilton]

- snip -
for instance 1EHNa6Q4Jz2uvNExL497mE43ikXhwF6kZm has seen a few transactions (its empty now), can anyone hazard it's private key?

1

[J35st3r]

- snip -
for instance 1EHNa6Q4Jz2uvNExL497mE43ikXhwF6kZm has seen a few transactions (its empty now), can anyone hazard it's private key?

1

And we have a winner !!

But seriously folks, choosing a raw 32 byte private key is not the safest way to secure your funds, though it might be fun to write a script to scan some of the more obvious ones (eg DEADBEEF... has also been used in the past). Not an original idea I guess, so don't expect to find a pot of free bitgold waiting for you.

And YAY!, my public-private wallet finally has some funds, someone sent me some dust!!
http://blockexplorer.com/address/12M4QznuNZH2BRVbLK8SKvNqGTPJpCpST7

EDIT And somebody decided to play my little game !!

Code:

Transaction?	Block?	Amount?	Type?	From/To?	Balance?
3dd5d3c4e5...	Block 241006 (2013-06-11 23:46:54)	0.0045	Received: Address	1mqt2xi48a7ihy691cn6grt6d91eesz5e   0.00450126
491b625b7d...	Block 241006 (2013-06-11 23:46:54)	0.0045	Sent: Address        	18KgkvDCWgMyB9wwRVRnSKW57sosv2YQWN  0.00000126