Topic: Crypto is under threat of Quantum computers (Read 392 times)

The Canadian company D-Wave sold 2000-qubit quantum computer last year. Has the quantum future already come? Let's see what is going on.

This article ( https://www.wired.co.uk/article/d-wave-2000q-quantum-computer ) tells us D-Wave began to produce and sell quantum computers in 2011: first, it was a 128-qubit quantum computer, then a 512-qubit one and so on, up to a 2000-qubit quantum computer! Moreover, the main developer of DapCash project Dmitry Gerasimov has repeatedly received proposals to develop software for D-Wave computers, with which it is possible to hack blockchains and other systems :-)
Has Quantum Apocalypse already came and we missed it? This is where we need to clarify some things. The quantum computer developed by D-Wave, strictly speaking, can't be called "quantum" in the truest sense of the word. This so-called adiabatic computer is a classic computer that uses some quantum effects. D-Wave computers can solve only a very narrow range of optimization problems. There is such a problem known, for example, in the economy — cost optimization. You have a lot of parameters, a lot of goals that you need to achieve at the same time. For example, you need to visit a million customers in different places and at the same time, you need to optimize the road, costs, time and so on. This is a classical problem, the so-called "traveling salesman problem". On conventional computers, it is very difficult to solve — a computer needs to sort out many, many different options, it may take thousands of years, and the D-Wave copes with it in seconds.
But an adiabatic computer is not designed for other tasks, so its use is extremely limited.
In fact, an adiabatic computer is a step in the evolution of a classical computer with a very non-standard architecture that uses some quantum effects. The adiabatic computer doesn't use the effect of superposition. This is not a "universal" quantum computer that can be used to factorize numbers, to hack encryption systems, etc. 
A universal quantum computer is limited to 72 qubits so far - in March 2018, Google reported testing of a laboratory sample of such a computer ( https://physicsworld.com/a/google-aims-for-quantum-supremacy/ ).

I'd like to add some more facts about quantum computing.
This is a report on testing of 51-qubit QC conducted a year ago: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1707.04344.pdf

There are a lot of words complicated to understand but the main idea of the document is clear enough: "Controllable, coherent many-body systems can provide insights into the fundamental properties of quantum matter, enable the realization of new quantum phases and could ultimately lead to computational systems that outperform existing computers based on classical approaches. Here we demonstrate a method for creating controlled many-body quantum matter that combines deterministically prepared, reconfigurable arrays of individually trapped cold atoms with strong, coherent interactions enabled by excitation to Rydberg states. We realize a programmable Ising-type quantum spin model with tunable interactions and system sizes of up to 51 qubits. Within this model, we observe phase transitions into spatially ordered states that break various discrete symmetries, verify the high-fidelity preparation of these states and investigate the dynamics across the phase transition in large arrays of atoms. In particular, we observe robust many-body dynamics corresponding to persistent oscillations of the order after a rapid quantum quench that results from a sudden transition across the phase boundary. Our method provides a way of exploring many-body phenomena on a programmable quantum simulator and could enable realizations of new quantum algorithms."

Yes. The only question is - what will come first )
As for "a few decades" - I tend to think it would happen in the nearest decade...

In 2015, the US National Security Agency (NSA) announced the plans for the
transition to post-quantum cryptographic algorithms: “Unfortunately, the growth of
elliptic curve use has bumped up against the fact of continued progress in the research
on quantum computing, which has made it clear that elliptic curve cryptography is not
the long-term solution many once hoped it would be.”;

In 2016, IBM provided the first cloud-based quantum computer, IBM Q, with five
qubits, accessible to anyone who wants to practice quantum programming;

In 2016, Intel engineers announced the work on a quantum processor with millions
of qubits;

In 2016, Google Chrome developers implemented the post-quantum key exchange
algorithm New Hope and in 2017 Google predicted the commercialization of
quantum technology within the next five years;

In April 2018, the developers implemented the post-quantum algorithm of the XMSS
digital signature for the OpenSSH 7.7 update;

In June 2018, Microsoft added post-quantum key exchange algorithms and
signatures to their OpenVPN fork.

They are worried...

This is a quote from the Bitcoin Post-Quantum whitepaper (https://bitcoinpq.org/download/bitcoinpq-whitepaper-english.pdf)

This is definitely a false problem. Quantum computers will not appear in development for 20 years, and its operating costs are very high. It may take several years to crack a password. So you don't have to worry.

I read the topic carefully. Of course, you can condemn the author and those who support him, for unreasonable panic. But here, for example, is another objective and independent scientific opinion about the quantum vulnerability of the blockchain:   

“Quantum computers put blockchain security at risk. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will founder unless they integrate quantum technologies, warn Aleksey K. Fedorov, Evgeniy O. Kiktenko and Alexander I. Lvovsky.”

“By 2025, up to 10% of global gross domestic product is likely to be stored on blockchains1. A blockchain is a digital tool that uses cryptography techniques to protect information from unauthorized changes. It lies at the root of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency2. Blockchain-related products are used everywhere from finance and manufacturing to health care, in a market worth more than US$150 billion.
When information is money, data security, transparency and accountability are crucial.
The blockchain business needs to update its existing software to use one-way cryptographic functions that are equally hard to reverse using conventional or quantum computers9. Until these post-quantum solutions are established or standardized, platforms must be flexible and capable of changing cryptographic algorithms on the fly.”

The full article is here: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07449-z#ref-CR12


Basically, scientists write about all the same as in the article referred to by the author of the topic: https://dapcash.org/quantum-apocalypse  Only a little less emotions:-)

i dont think it will be a treat. i think both will empower each others. using higher bit encryption is possible, even large data and speed which also reducing cost of creation. its more like pretty good marry instead if a threat.

Bitcoins will HELP quantum computers and not be under threat of quantum computers. If you create a blockchain based on creating a quantum computer you can literally create one from all the mining power and hash power given by the miners. Meaning if you want to solve a problem or definitely need hash power to create something or research something you can basically use the mining power of a coin to do that.

There has been some tests about new coins who gave out the hash power and rented it to companies who need it, it has not worked because the ICO owners couldn't really find any contracts but if you managed to sell your hashing power to schools and colleges and researchers and scientist than you can definitely use the hashing power to make money and distribute that money to the miners themselves.

There is no real threat, once quantum computing goes out of the labs we will assess it´s real power, but meanwhile it is not even clear that it is a threat. Anyway, there is a QRL coin.

This topic is very controversial. Some say that cryptographic puzzles will be solved like in minutes and in that case it's totally over. My friend made some calculations once and came to a conclusion that it would still require more than a hundred years, which is not very good long-term, but fine short-term. But hey, it's not a fact that the actual quantum computer will even be built. For now it's on very early stages and it might stay this way longer than we think. People in 70s thought that at the beginning of 21st centuries there will be vacations on Mars and Venus!

We'll see quantum computers in our real life in a few decades. Until they have been invented, cryptocurrencies will be evolved, too.

Any security system that is based on cryptography or based on computing power, will of course eventually come under threat of supercomputers. But people forget, Bitcoin's security is improving every year. Exponentially too,,, despite the increasing difficulty, increasing cost, and declining price, people are not shying away from joining the network.

Crypto other than Bitcoin? They have much more to worry about when 51% attacks are even possible, much less to say cryptographic cracking of the blockchain itself.

maybe it's just a joke, even I think on the contrary, BTC will get better, as well as Altcoin, because every Altcoin has a system or mission that they will run

To me Quantum computers don't really post a tangible threat to Cryptocurrency and even if they do I trust this industry, we will surely come out with solutions to upgrade and modify the existing blockchain protocols  in no time.

Since crypto is a hot issue over the years and if quantum would be a treat in their existence I know that the people behind crypto are not taking sleep to determine the solution if the reality is gonna happen, no doubt there is already a countermeasure to protect the system.

I read this article carefully, which mentions how quantum computers implement intrusive blockchains. I think this is possible because all cryptocurrency algorithms are limited, just like all English words are composed of 26. When the computer's processing power reaches a certain level, I believe it can completely invade the blockchain.

This is just the struggle of the opponents, you are not worried. Quantum computers may not be realized in 100 years. And he may have to spend decades deciphering a key.

Some said it will some said it will not, even there's plenty of topics here that discussed that matters and they're discussing it intensely and really logical.
If you are curious, you can simply use that search box up there and type quantum computers or supercomputer. Just be sure not to necropost LOL.

You need to realize, that at the same time that Quantum computers are developing, so is blockchain tech.
And actually, crypto is far ahead of quantum computing.

AS of now, we only have one, two, maybe three actual working computers produced by research institutes.
They are light years away from normal people using them and accessing them.
So unless those researchers and developers are making quantum computers to specifically crack blockchain code then, yes we are in danger.
But something tells me that's not their sole purpose lol.

And now, we have crypto flying at an amazing pace and, most importantly becoming mainstream.
This will push development even further.
We already have up and running blockchain 3.0 projects that solve a lot of the inherent blockchain problems.
By the time, normal hack get their hands on quantum computers, blockchain would have evolved also to adress problems too.

This is actually not new news, as it has long been known that if there is such a supercomputer, it will be able to bring down the entire blockchain system.