Google Builds a Quantum Attack on Crypto Encryption, But Won’t Publish It
Google researchers detailed a quantum attack requiring 20 times fewer resources to break elliptic curve cryptography, but withheld the attack circuits.Summary
Google Quantum AI published a whitepaper demonstrating a method to break the elliptic curve cryptography (ECDLP-256) that secures most blockchains, using significantly fewer resources than previously estimated—requiring fewer than 1,200 logical qubits and slashing physical qubit requirements by a factor of 20 (down to under 500,000 physical qubits).
Despite this breakthrough, the team, including members like Justin Drake and Dan Boneh, refused to release the actual attack circuits, opting instead to publish a zero-knowledge proof for verification. They justified withholding the code as following responsible disclosure norms, preventing the blueprint from falling into attackers' hands.
The findings are serious for crypto holders, as the paper notes that over 1.7 million Bitcoin (BTC) are in wallet formats where public keys are already exposed, with estimates reaching 2.3 million when counting all vulnerable script types. Experts like Haseeb Qureshi called the findings "serious," noting that Google's own post-quantum migration deadline is set for 2029, suggesting blockchains must transition their security measures quickly.
(Source：BeInCrypto)