How a quantum computer can be used to actually steal your bitcoin in '9 minutes'

Bitcoin's security relies on elliptic curve cryptography, a one-way mathematical function that is virtually impossible for classical computers to reverse. However, Shor's algorithm, running on a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, can solve this problem efficiently by finding the period of a function through superposition and interference.

A recent paper from Google's Quantum AI division suggests that the number of qubits required to execute this attack is significantly lower than previously estimated—fewer than 500,000 physical qubits. This reduces the hardware barrier for potential attackers.

The research highlights two main threats: a "mempool attack," where an attacker has about nine minutes to intercept a transaction after a public key is broadcast, and an "at-rest attack" targeting the 6.9 million bitcoin whose public keys are already permanently exposed on the blockchain.

(Source：CoinDesk)