Improved quantum algorithm for the random subset sum problem

Abstract

Solving random subset sum instances plays an important role in constructing cryptographic systems. For the random subset sum problem, in 2013 Bernstein et al. proposed a quantum algorithm with heuristic time complexity $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.241n})$, where the "$\widetilde{O}$" symbol is used to omit poly($\log n$) factors. In 2018, Helm and May proposed another quantum algorithm that reduces the heuristic time and memory complexity to $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.226n})$. In this paper, a new quantum algorithm is proposed, with heuristic time and memory complexity $\widetilde{O}(2^{0.209n})$.