Google launches revolutionary Willow quantum chip, does it mean that the security of Bitcoin wallet
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Google launches revolutionary Willow quantum chip, does it mean that the security of Bitco... Google launches revolutionary Willow quantum chip, does it mean that the security of Bitcoin wallet private keys will face unprecedented threats?
On December 9, Google unveiled its "Willow" quantum chip, which has sparked widespread attention and is considered a significant breakthrough in the field of quantum computing. The new chip claims to be capable of performing computations in 5 minutes that would take traditional supercomputers 10 trillion years to complete. This astounding technological advancement not only highlights the immense potential of quantum computing but has also prompted widespread discussions within the cryptocurrency industry, particularly regarding the security of Bitcoin. Many are concerned that quantum computers could easily crack the private keys of Bitcoin wallets. So, is this concern justified?
Historic Breakthrough in Quantum Chips
Google's quantum computing breakthrough is a milestone, particularly in the area of quantum error correction. One of the key challenges in quantum computing is the stability of qubits. While qubits are extremely powerful in calculations, they are highly sensitive to external interference and prone to errors. Quantum error correction has long been a difficult problem in both academia and industry. The concept of quantum error correction proposed by Peter Shor in 1995 has not been effectively resolved until now. Google’s achievement of immediate error correction in superconducting quantum systems marks an important step toward practical quantum computing.
Key features of the Willow chip include:
Exceptional Computational Power: The Willow chip can solve a complex computational problem in 5 minutes, a task that would take traditional supercomputers 10^25 years to complete. This demonstrates that quantum computing has a significant advantage over classical computers when it comes to handling extremely complex problems.
Number of Qubits: The Willow chip consists of 105 qubits. Qubits are the fundamental units of quantum computers, capable of representing both 0 and 1 simultaneously, significantly increasing computational efficiency. However, the stability of qubits has long been a bottleneck in the development of quantum computing. Google’s research introduced a new method to link qubits, reducing error rates and enabling immediate error correction, thus opening up greater possibilities for future quantum computers.
Reduced Error Rate: The issue of qubit error rates has been a persistent challenge in quantum computing. Google’s breakthrough reduces the error rate between qubits, bringing quantum computing closer to practical application. This research lays the foundation for the future of quantum computing.
Bitcoin Security and the Quantum Threat
Bitcoin, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, relies on the security of its public-private key system. The core of this system is the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), which ensures that each Bitcoin wallet has a private key and a corresponding public key. The private key is used to sign transactions and verify their authenticity, while the public key is derived from the private key using elliptic curve operations. Under current computing conditions, it is virtually impossible to reverse-engineer the private key from the public key, which is the foundation of Bitcoin’s security.
However, the advent of quantum computing, particularly with the release of the Google Willow chip, could potentially change this situation. Quantum computers have immense computational power and can efficiently solve complex mathematical problems that classical computers cannot. For example, quantum computing can use Shor’s algorithm to crack the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem, which underpins the security of Bitcoin’s private keys. Therefore, quantum computers could pose a threat to the security of Bitcoin private keys, potentially jeopardizing Bitcoin’s overall security.
Bitcoin Community’s Response to Quantum Computing Threats
The Bitcoin developer community has not been passive in the face of the quantum threat. In fact, many researchers and developers have already begun addressing this issue, with the most straightforward solution being the switch to post-quantum cryptography algorithms. These algorithms are specifically designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers, with common approaches including lattice-based, code-based, hyperelliptic curve, and multivariate equation algorithms.
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has also commented on the potential threat posed by quantum computing. He proposed that, before quantum computers become widespread, a simple recovery fork could be implemented to mitigate the financial losses caused by a quantum computer attack. A recovery fork refers to the process of rolling back all blocks on the blockchain to restore user funds after a large-scale attack.
Additionally, with the development of quantum-resistant technologies, techniques like Winternitz signatures and STARKs are also being extensively researched. These technologies aim to enhance the security of digital signatures to prevent quantum computers from cracking existing cryptographic schemes. Once quantum-resistant technologies mature, users can switch to more secure quantum-resistant signature schemes in current blockchain systems to ensure the safety of their funds.
Enhancing Wallet Security: The Role of 24-Word Seeds
In the face of quantum computing threats, some cryptocurrency users are opting to improve wallet security by changing their wallet seed phrases. A wallet seed is an important tool for backing up a user’s private key, typically consisting of 12 or 24 words. A 24-word seed has higher entropy than a 12-word seed, meaning it offers stronger security. According to the BIP39 standard:
A 12-word seed provides 128-bit security.
A 24-word seed provides 256-bit security.
With 256-bit security being significantly stronger than 128-bit security, a 24-word seed theoretically offers superior security to a 12-word seed. While quantum computers' computing power is immense, the number of combinations that would need to be tried to crack these seeds remains astronomical. Therefore, switching to a 24-word seed wallet, though not completely immune to quantum attacks, still provides a higher level of security at this stage.
The Future of Quantum Computing Applications
Although the computational power of the Google Willow chip has not yet been applied directly in commercial fields, the potential of quantum computing represented by this chip is vast. Quantum computing is expected to have a profound impact on fields such as medicine, chemistry, materials science, and artificial intelligence. In these fields, quantum computing could provide solutions to complex problems that traditional computers are struggling to solve.
For instance, in drug development and disease treatment, quantum computing could help simulate molecular structures and predict molecular interactions, thus accelerating drug discovery. Quantum computing could also break through the limits of classical computers, playing a significant role in simulating chemical reactions and solving complex physical models.
Despite the promising applications of quantum computing, experts point out that widespread use still requires years of technological development and substantial investment. Hartmut Neven, head of Google Quantum AI Lab, stated that commercial quantum computers might not emerge until the end of this century. Therefore, quantum computing is still in its early stages, and while its future potential is enormous, its impact on the security of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is limited in the short term.
Tags: Quantum Computing, Bitcoin, Security, Willow Chip, Post-Quantum Cryptography