Regev's reduction as a candidate quantum algorithm for the discrete logarithm problem in finite abelian groups

M. Isabel Franco Garrido, André Chailloux (May 06 2026).

Abstract: We revisit the reduction of Cheng and Wan, which transforms instances of the discrete logarithm problem (DLOG) over finite fields into a decoding problem for Reed--Solomon codes, and study how Regev's reduction can be used to solve these instances. Regev's reduction turns a decoder for a code into a quantum solver for a decoding problem on the dual code. The quantum advantage depends on the dual problem being classically hard, which has proven difficult to establish. The Cheng--Wan reduction offers a natural source of such instances: solving them would solve discrete logarithm. Since Shor's algorithm already solves discrete logarithm, the goal is not a new quantum speedup but to understand whether Regev's reduction, applied to a problem we have independent reasons to believe is hard, can solve discrete logarithm, and if not, where it falls short. We generalize the hardness consequence of the Cheng--Wan reduction for Reed--Solomon bounded distance decoding -- from solving DLOG in $\mathbb{F}_{q^h}^\times$ to solving DLOG in finite abelian groups, and we prove that bounded distance decoding for Reed--Solomon codes is NP-hard even at asymptotically zero rate, though the known NP-hard radius lies well above the Cheng--Wan decoding radius. We then carry out Regev's reduction on the Cheng--Wan instances and evaluate it with known efficient decoders. All fall short of the Cheng--Wan threshold by a constant factor, and under an assumption on the Cheng--Wan instances we identify the QDP parameter a decoder would need to reach in order to solve discrete logarithm. The obstruction is one of efficiency rather than solvability: the Pretty Good Measurement solves the corresponding decoding problem on every instance, including NP-hard instances, but its implementation requires exponential resources in general.

Arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.03972