# Why Is This One-Way Function Computationally Infeasible to Reverse? ⎊ Path

**Published:** 2025-12-04
**Author:** Greeks.live
**Categories:** Path

---

## Why Is This One-Way Function Computationally Infeasible to Reverse?

The function is infeasible to reverse because it is based on the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP). In simple terms, while point multiplication (d G = P) is fast, finding the scalar (d) when given the two points (G and P) is computationally equivalent to guessing a needle in an enormous haystack.

The large number of possible private keys makes brute-forcing or efficient mathematical inversion impossible with current computing technology.

- [What Is the Immediate Consequence of a Private Key Leak?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-immediate-consequence-of-a-private-key-leak/)

- [Explain the Concept of ‘Economic Finality’ in Blockchain Consensus](https://learn.greeks.live/path/explain-the-concept-of-economic-finality-in-blockchain-consensus/)

- [Why Is It Computationally Infeasible to Derive the Private Key from the Public Key?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-it-computationally-infeasible-to-derive-the-private-key-from-the-public-key/)

- [What Is the Computational Problem That Makes This Derivation Hard?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-computational-problem-that-makes-this-derivation-hard/)

- [Why Is Key Derivation Considered a One-Way Street?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-key-derivation-considered-a-one-way-street/)

- [What Is the “One-Way” Property of ECC?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-one-way-property-of-ecc/)

- [What Is a ‘Vanity Address’ and What Are Its Security Implications?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-a-vanity-address-and-what-are-its-security-implications/)

- [How Does ‘Key Rotation’ Mitigate the Risk of a Compromised Key?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-key-rotation-mitigate-the-risk-of-a-compromised-key/)

## Glossar

### [Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem](https://learn.greeks.live/area/elliptic-curve-discrete-logarithm-problem/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Complexity ⎊ The Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) represents a foundational challenge in cryptographic security, particularly relevant to securing digital assets and transactions within cryptocurrency systems and increasingly, complex financial derivatives.

### [Point Multiplication](https://learn.greeks.live/area/point-multiplication/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Elliptic Curve Operation ⎊ This fundamental mathematical procedure involves calculating the coordinates of a resulting point on a specific elliptic curve after adding a given point to itself a specified number of times, a core operation in public-key cryptography used for key generation and verification.

### [Computationally Infeasible](https://learn.greeks.live/area/computationally-infeasible/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Threshold ⎊ Computationally Infeasible describes the state where the resources required, typically time or energy, to reverse a cryptographic operation or brute-force a private key exceed any practical or economically viable limits given current technological capabilities.

### [Mathematical Inversion](https://learn.greeks.live/area/mathematical-inversion/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)

Derivation ⎊ Mathematical inversion, within cryptocurrency and derivatives, represents a process of reconstructing underlying parameters or states from observed market data, often employing techniques from quantitative finance and stochastic calculus.

## Discover More

### [Why Is It Computationally Infeasible to Derive the Private Key from the Public Key?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-it-computationally-infeasible-to-derive-the-private-key-from-the-public-key/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Why Is It Computationally Infeasible to Derive the Private Key from the Public Key?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Interconnected-Metallic-Truss-Structure-Symbolizing-Decentralized-Finance-Protocol-Architecture-and-Collateralization-Mechanisms.webp)

The relationship is based on a one-way function (elliptic curve cryptography) that is mathematically irreversible with current technology.

### [Does Marking-to-Market Occur in Options Trading in the Same Way as Futures?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/does-marking-to-market-occur-in-options-trading-in-the-same-way-as-futures/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Does Marking-to-Market Occur in Options Trading in the Same Way as Futures?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Tokenized-Asset-Bifurcation-Visualizing-Synthetic-Option-Hedging-Mechanism-Dynamics.webp)

No, options buyers do not face daily MTM or margin calls, but options sellers (writers) are marked-to-market daily.

### [What Is the Difference between a Cash-and-Carry Arbitrage and a Reverse Cash-and-Carry Arbitrage?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/what-is-the-difference-between-a-cash-and-carry-arbitrage-and-a-reverse-cash-and-carry-arbitrage/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![What Is the Difference between a Cash-and-Carry Arbitrage and a Reverse Cash-and-Carry Arbitrage?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dual-Lens-Digital-Sensor-Array-Representing-Decentralized-Exchange-Liquidity-Provisioning-Mechanisms.webp)

Cash-and-carry: buy spot, sell future (in contango). Reverse: sell spot, buy future (in backwardation). Both are arbitrage strategies.

### [Why Might a Miner Prioritize a Zero-Fee Transaction over a Low-Fee One?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-might-a-miner-prioritize-a-zero-fee-transaction-over-a-low-fee-one/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Why Might a Miner Prioritize a Zero-Fee Transaction over a Low-Fee One?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Crystalline-Bifurcation-Balancing-Volatile-Digital-Asset-Swaption-Payoffs-Across-Impermanent-Loss-Vectors.webp)

A miner only prioritizes a zero-fee transaction if it is their own internal transaction or if the block space is entirely empty.

### [How Does the Concept of a "Trapdoor Function" Relate to Cryptographic Security?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-the-concept-of-a-trapdoor-function-relate-to-cryptographic-security/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![How Does the Concept of a "Trapdoor Function" Relate to Cryptographic Security?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Streamlined-Cryptographic-Asset-Custody-Encapsulation-Representing-Decentralized-Autonomous-Organization-Governance-Module.webp)

A trapdoor function is easy to compute but hard to reverse without a secret key, unlike a hash function.

### [How Does a Deterministic Signature Scheme Differ from a Non-Deterministic One?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/how-does-a-deterministic-signature-scheme-differ-from-a-non-deterministic-one/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![How Does a Deterministic Signature Scheme Differ from a Non-Deterministic One?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Macro-View-of-Black-Hardware-Assembly-Featuring-Segmented-Optical-Surface-Indicative-of-On-Chain-Governance-Calibration.webp)

Deterministic signatures always produce the same output for the same input, unlike non-deterministic ones, which use a random component.

### [Can a Contract Be Voided If One Party Lacks 'Capacity'?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/can-a-contract-be-voided-if-one-party-lacks-capacity/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Can a Contract Be Voided If One Party Lacks 'Capacity'?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Interlocking-Geometric-Vectors-Illustrating-Stochastic-Volatility-and-Hedging-Mechanisms-in-Decentralized-Finance.webp)

A contract is voidable if a party is legally incompetent, such as a minor or an incapacitated individual.

### [Does the Wash Sale Rule Apply to Options Trading in the Same Way as Stock Trading?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/does-the-wash-sale-rule-apply-to-options-trading-in-the-same-way-as-stock-trading/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Does the Wash Sale Rule Apply to Options Trading in the Same Way as Stock Trading?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Decentralized-Ledger-Architecture-Illustrating-Cross-Asset-Volatility-Surface-Skew-in-Digital-Asset-Hedging-Instruments.webp)

Yes, the wash sale rule applies to options if a substantially identical security is bought within 30 days.

### [Can Impermanent Loss Occur If One of the Tokens Is a Stablecoin Pegged to a Fiat Currency?](https://learn.greeks.live/path/can-impermanent-loss-occur-if-one-of-the-tokens-is-a-stablecoin-pegged-to-a-fiat-currency/?utm_source=crypto.greeks.live&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=satellite)
![Can Impermanent Loss Occur If One of the Tokens Is a Stablecoin Pegged to a Fiat Currency?](https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Symmetrical-Financial-Instrument-Metaphor-Illustrating-Delta-Hedging-Dynamics-Across-Impermanent-Loss-Curves.webp)

Yes, because impermanent loss depends on the price ratio change, which occurs if the non-stablecoin asset's price moves.

---

## Raw Schema Data

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 1,
            "name": "Home",
            "item": "https://learn.greeks.live"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 2,
            "name": "Path",
            "item": "https://learn.greeks.live/path/"
        },
        {
            "@type": "ListItem",
            "position": 3,
            "name": "Why Is This One-Way Function Computationally Infeasible to Reverse?",
            "item": "https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-this-one-way-function-computationally-infeasible-to-reverse/"
        }
    ]
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "mainEntityOfPage": {
        "@type": "WebPage",
        "@id": "https://learn.greeks.live/learn/why-is-this-one-way-function-computationally-infeasible-to-reverse/"
    },
    "headline": "Why Is This One-Way Function Computationally Infeasible to Reverse? \u238a Path",
    "description": "Reversing the function requires solving the ECDLP, which is computationally intractable due to the massive number of possible private keys. \u238a Path",
    "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/learn/why-is-this-one-way-function-computationally-infeasible-to-reverse/",
    "author": {
        "@type": "Person",
        "name": "Greeks.live",
        "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/author/greeks-live/"
    },
    "datePublished": "2025-12-04T11:42:12+00:00",
    "dateModified": "2025-12-04T11:42:12+00:00",
    "publisher": {
        "@type": "Organization",
        "name": "Greeks.live"
    },
    "articleSection": [
        "Path"
    ],
    "image": {
        "@type": "ImageObject",
        "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Decentralized-Finance-Mechanism-Layering-Representing-Complex-Structured-Product-Execution-Through-Atomic-Swaps.jpg",
        "caption": "The composition features a close-up, dramatically lit view of stacked, geometrically precise components, one section exhibiting a reflective, deep blue translucence juxtaposed against matte silver and creamy white housing against absolute blackness. This imagery conceptually maps to the structural stratification inherent in multi-asset collateralized debt positions within DeFi lending protocols, emphasizing the complexity of smart contract execution environments. Specifically, it represents the stacking of various collateral tranches necessary to underwrite risk for exotic options exposure, perhaps illustrating the tiered liquidation cascade following a sudden market dislocation event in a low-liquidity market. The metallic slivers recall embedded hardware security modules or physical keys related to cold storage custody solutions, while the smooth, curved base suggests the robust infrastructure of a Layer Two scaling solution facilitating rapid settlements. Analyzing this structure requires understanding concepts like embedded yield farming strategies, cross-chain bridging risks, and the implications of governance token voting power on protocol parameter adjustments concerning the underlying asset\u2019s spot price discovery mechanism and efficient frontier optimization."
    }
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "WebSite",
    "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/",
    "potentialAction": {
        "@type": "SearchAction",
        "target": "https://learn.greeks.live/?s=search_term_string",
        "query-input": "required name=search_term_string"
    }
}
```

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "WebPage",
    "@id": "https://learn.greeks.live/path/why-is-this-one-way-function-computationally-infeasible-to-reverse/",
    "mentions": [
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "name": "Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem",
            "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/area/elliptic-curve-discrete-logarithm-problem/",
            "description": "Complexity \u238a The Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem (ECDLP) represents a foundational challenge in cryptographic security, particularly relevant to securing digital assets and transactions within cryptocurrency systems and increasingly, complex financial derivatives."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "name": "Point Multiplication",
            "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/area/point-multiplication/",
            "description": "Elliptic Curve Operation \u238a This fundamental mathematical procedure involves calculating the coordinates of a resulting point on a specific elliptic curve after adding a given point to itself a specified number of times, a core operation in public-key cryptography used for key generation and verification."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "name": "Computationally Infeasible",
            "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/area/computationally-infeasible/",
            "description": "Threshold \u238a Computationally Infeasible describes the state where the resources required, typically time or energy, to reverse a cryptographic operation or brute-force a private key exceed any practical or economically viable limits given current technological capabilities."
        },
        {
            "@type": "DefinedTerm",
            "name": "Mathematical Inversion",
            "url": "https://learn.greeks.live/area/mathematical-inversion/",
            "description": "Derivation \u238a Mathematical inversion, within cryptocurrency and derivatives, represents a process of reconstructing underlying parameters or states from observed market data, often employing techniques from quantitative finance and stochastic calculus."
        }
    ]
}
```


---

**Original URL:** https://learn.greeks.live/learn/why-is-this-one-way-function-computationally-infeasible-to-reverse/
