Theorem · version 2

One-way functions would separate P and NP

Statement

If standard one-way functions exist, then P ≠ NP.

Assumptions

  • Standard polynomially bounded one-way functions; classical polynomial-time computation.

Scope

The reverse implication is not established; P ≠ NP alone is not a security guarantee.

Evidence

Connections

In this problem · publication v14

P versus NP →

Conditional implication · Proved

This statement contributes context in its stated scope; it does not settle the canonical P versus NP question.

Average-case one-wayness suffices for separation; separation alone does not give cryptographic hardness.

This is one indexed assertion in its own scope. No disjoint solved fraction, strongest-known ranking or additional parent resolution is inferred.

One-way implication

Average-case one-wayness is a stronger sufficient hardness premise.

P ≠ NP alone does not establish one-way functions or the security of a particular cryptosystem.

Details & sources
Standard one-way functions exist →

Open · version 2

There exists a polynomial-time-computable function that is hard to invert on average for probabilistic polynomial-time algorithms.

  • The standard asymptotic cryptographic definition, efficient sampling and polynomially bounded encodings.

Scope: Average-case cryptographic hardness; stronger than merely worst-case NP hardness.

P ≠ NP →

Open · version 3

There exists a language in NP that is not decidable by any deterministic polynomial-time algorithm.

  • Finite binary inputs; uniform classical computation; polynomial time in bit length.

Scope: The conjectural negative answer to the same canonical question.

One-way functions would separate P and NP →

Relationship statement · Proved · version 2

If standard one-way functions exist, then P ≠ NP.

  • Standard polynomially bounded one-way functions; classical polynomial-time computation.

Scope: The reverse implication is not established; P ≠ NP alone is not a security guarantee.

Relationship not independently reviewed.

Connection in P versus NP →

Relationship not independently reviewed. This concerns its use in this problem.

Sources

Avi Wigderson · Mathematics and Computation →

Avi Wigderson · Published · Publication date 2019

Published author exposition or original paper.

Revision & attribution

Source revision: author-draft-2019-08-06. Observed Oct 10, 2026.

AI involvement is not reported by this cited source; this is not a claim of its absence.

Avi Wigderson · Mathematics and Computation — proof text: author-draft-2019-08-06. External source text. Its mathematical claims and independent OpenMath review are assessed separately.

Stephen Cook · The P versus NP problem →

Stephen Cook · Published

Published author exposition or original paper.

Revision & attribution

Source revision: official-description-sha256-018f3d473d16. Observed Oct 10, 2026.

AI involvement is not reported by this cited source; this is not a claim of its absence.

History

Statement versions

Statement versions and problem publication versions are separate. A new publication can update context or sources while retaining the same statement.

Assessment history · 1

Assessments retained in these publication records. Earlier statement versions retain their own source histories.

Record details
Claim ID
claim-pnp-owf-implies-separation
Statement version
2
SHA-256
9e7ce36c09f2cd54d4edb0f287fdb03e35fe365bf8863cd8d503845ac13a2f36

Publication records