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There are several misconceptions about what universal quantum computers could do. One of them is talking about exponential increase of computing power with each
by AlexAltea 9y ago
There are several misconceptions about what universal quantum computers could do. One of them is talking about exponential increase of computing power with each new qubit. It just doesn't work like that. This brief talk from Scott Aaronson tackles this issue quite well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvIbrDR1G_c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvIbrDR1G_c
While quantum computers threaten some cryptographic schemes, it will just be the end of those schemes, not the end of cryptography in general (see: post-quantum cryptography). As long as we still have problems that are hard to compute and easy to verify, we can have cryptocurrencies. Quantum computers do not give "unlimited computing power" and do not threaten the existence of cryptocurrencies in general.
- rocqua 9y agoAs far as I know, there isn't a conclusive decent public-key algorithm that is quantum resistent. We know that Diffie Helmann, RSA and their elliptic counterparts are broken in quantum. That was essentially all we had. I know that 'lattice based cryptography' is a potential option, and believe there are more potential options. However, as far as I know it is not even clear whether these are safe against classical computers. I should note that I don't know much more about 'lattice based crypto' than the name and the hope it is quantum resistent.