The alarm follows concerns from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin that AI could weaken lattice-based cryptography within two years, potentially endangering the industry before quantum computing becomes a reality. Ethereum researcher Justin Drake previously urged holders to move assets to 'fresh addresses' to mitigate risks to the ECDSA signature scheme, while BitGo deployed tools to score wallet vulnerability. Conversely, Galaxy Research noted that none of the 722 results published by OpenAI were directly related to cryptography and none have been externally verified by mathematicians.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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OpenAI Math Results Threaten Encryption for Online Payments and Crypto
Crypto4 days ago
Leading computer scientists and cryptographers are warning that OpenAI's release of over 300 solved mathematical problems puts public-key encryption at risk. These algorithms secure most internet connections, including messaging services like WhatsApp and online payment systems, and rely on the computational difficulty of deriving a private key from a public one. Matthew Green, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, estimates a 15% probability that AI will erode confidence in these encryption standards, potentially compromising secure communications and financial transactions.
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