Anthropic AI Exposes Quantum Weaknesses in Bitcoin's Digital Signatures

Researchers from Anthropic have demonstrated that advanced language models can evaluate the mathematical security of encryption schemes before quantum computers compromise current signatures on networks like Bitcoin. The Claude Mythos Preview model identified an attack that accelerates the breaking of reduced seven-round versions of the AES algorithm by 200 to 1,000 times.

The AI tool also halved the key strength in HAWK, a candidate signature scheme for NIST's post-quantum standardization. This is significant because the Bitcoin network currently uses the ECDSA elliptic curve digital signature algorithm to validate and authorize transactions on the blockchain.

The emergence of quantum processors with a sufficient number of physical qubits could compromise the security of ECDSA in the long term, according to various computer science research reports. In response, Bitcoin core developers have initiated technical debates on the gradual transition toward signature schemes resistant to quantum attacks.