Independent researcher Giancarlu Lelli managed to crack a 15-bit elliptic curve key using a publicly accessible quantum computer. This technology is the mathematical foundation of digital signature schemes that ensure the security of Bitcoin, Ethereum and many other blockchain networks. Project Eleven startup called this event the largest quantum attack in the history of cryptography and rewarded the researcher with 1 BTC. Bits.media reports this.
In his experiment, Lelli used a special variant of Shor's algorithm that helps solve discrete logarithm problems on elliptic curves. He managed to determine a private key based on a public key from among 32,767 variants. Last September, engineer Steve Tippeconnick had cracked a 6-bit key, but Lelli's result is 512 times higher.
For now, this achievement does not pose a direct threat to Bitcoin's security, since the most popular cryptocurrency wallets are protected with 256-bit elliptic curve cryptography. According to experts, the distance from 15 bits to 256 bits is still large, but it is now no longer a fundamental physical problem but is becoming an engineering task. This means a faster transition to post-quantum cryptography is necessary.
According to Project Eleven, approximately 6.9 million bitcoin public keys are stored in wallets visible on the blockchain. This may make them vulnerable when more powerful quantum computers are created in the future. According to Google Research calculations, breaking 256-bit protection may require between 10,000 and 500,000 physical qubits, but current systems have not yet reached this level.
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