AI Tool Claude Investigates NSA-Linked Cryptography Used in Ethereum Passkey Security

WHY IT MATTERS

When you log into an app using a passkey — like using your fingerprint or face scan instead of a password — the system relies on complex math called cryptography to keep your account safe. Think of cryptography like a lock on your front door: you want to be sure the lock maker did not secretly keep a spare key. In this case, some of the math behind passkeys was developed or influenced by the NSA, a U.S. intelligence agency. Some security researchers have long wondered whether the NSA might have built in a hidden way to bypass these locks. This story matters for crypto users because Ethereum applications are starting to use passkeys, meaning the security of people's digital assets could depend on the trustworthiness of these mathematical standards. The investigation used an AI tool to try to understand these concerns, but the core questions remain open.