What are you talking about? Without further details I'm under the impression that you're just invoking the mystery of quantum computing. "Anything I don't understand is a threat."
There's an entire field of research dedicated to figuring out what we'll replace those algorithms with if quantum computing does become practical on a significant scale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-quantum_cryptography
The gist of the parent post is, create complex systems and these things will bite.
Yes. Something you don't know about can and may well kill you. These are the lessons of geography, astronomy, and physics. Crypto and computer security may well have the same properties.
"In the comments section of the Antonoupolos’s talk, reddit user @cfromknecht explains that there are flaws to the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), and it is very possible that quantum computers will be able to work faster than the transactions, therefore beating the encryption. “Whenever you spend bitcoins, you must include a signature that approves the spend, which is done using ECDSA” they explain, “If these signatures can be broken faster than transactions can be confirmed, an attacker could sign a different transaction that spends your coins before the original transaction is ever accepted.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_problems_in_m...
Seriously though, I'm talking about something qualitative here. When I read about these side-channel attacks yesterday I had this crazy gut feeling about how exposed our technologies are to those who learn to understand them deeply.
There's an complementary kind of arrogance to the one you're suggested: "anything I don't understand couldn't possibly be a threat... since I could never easily exploit it, it'd be way too hard for someone else to."
But have you listened to the radiolab about the z-cash cryptography ritual? It's very enjoyable and has a spooky surprise ending:
This class of attack sits in that “uncanny valley” of:
1) possibly easy to spot when looked for in the right way [edit: to use the QC analogy: search for classical algorithms which are easily broken]
2) totally systemic across almost all currently deployed technology
is that what you mean?
I hope I don't offend anyone too badly here with this medical analogy, but it's like finding out you have a bad flu vs. finding out you have Parkinson's.
Or, it's like seeing someone in a different light for the first time... maybe you've known them for decades, but all of the sudden, you see them in this completely different way.