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7 sats \ 5 replies \ @kilianbuhn 4 Jun 2022 \ on: How does Bitcoin defend in a post-quantum computing world? bitcoin
Quantum computing has nothing to do with hashing power. The only thing worth discussing is signatures - due to schor's algorithm.
Can you elaborate regarding the Shor algo?
My concern would be around the current private key setup for many wallets (which I suppose could be transferred to a new quantum resistant encryption standard), but miners would be at an instant disadvantage and would have to retool their entire existing infrastructure (assuming they could somehow get access to a QC)
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Shots algorithm could break all technologies based on prime number factorization.
Modern Hash functions like e.g. sha-3 are based on a Merkel-Damgard construction which is a whole separate method that has nothing to do with prime numbers. And there is no real quantum computing algorithm known to humanity that can break Merkle Damgard constructions.
In theory we know that it must be possible to find an algorithm that can break Merkle-Damgard constructions efficiently on normal computing hardware. But humanity hasn't found one yet for decades. But we know that it must exist in theory.
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Excellent response and thanks for taking time to write this up. Looks like I have some indepth reading to do this weekend
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If you have the time to elaborate that would be awesome
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Well, quantum computing is just a technology - and like all technologies it is limited to what humans can do with it. And Shoes algorithm basically would make it soon (it has been ”soon” for a decade now) possible to break public key infrastructure. But we have no real method to use quantum computing to break hashing.
Think of it like planes are a powerful technology for travel but planes won't solve the need for traveling to Mars. Related subjects but not the same thing
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