[pcwalton]

A proof that P=NP doesn't necessarily mean that NP-hard problems are solvable in any practical sense. The time complexity claimed by the paper, O(n^2 * m^3), grows quickly, and the constant factors may be high. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's very unlikely that a P=NP proof would make any difference in practice, since SAT solvers are so good for real-world problems.

(I'm leaving aside the fact that cryptocurrency theft is a crime that most people would be disinclined to commit, as well as the extraordinarily high likelihood that this proof is incorrect.)

[tromp]

> cryptocurrency theft is a crime

If you know the private key, then you own the coins.

At least that's the whole basis that crypto currency is founded on...

[xorvoid]

Except most legal systems don’t see it that way. When you say this, they hear “if you have a copy of the key to a house/car/etc, then you also own it”. Cryptocurrency theft is a crime by the basic definitions of the legal system.

[bagels]

That is not how the law works. It's equivalent to knowing your bank account number and routing number and making an unauthorized transaction.

[remram]

That's just not how keys work. If someone finds the key to my house and uses it to open the door and take something, it's still theft.