Sui Research has launched a cryptographic framework that provides protection against quantum computing threats for blockchain systems without the need for hard forks, address changes, or key updates.

Cryptographer Kostas Chalkias stated on the X platform on Monday that the latest research paper he co-authored with Sui Research "marks a significant breakthrough in the quantum transformation of certain blockchains." He pointed out that while this new method is applicable to networks like Sui, Solana, Near, and Cosmos, it is not suitable for Ethereum and Bitcoin.

"As far as I know, this is the first backward-compatible quantum-safe blockchain wallet upgrade path that can avoid future forks or account freezes," Chalkias said.

Dan Dadybayo, a researcher at Unstoppable Wallet, told Cointelegraph in an interview that this paper represents "one of the most significant breakthroughs in cryptography in recent years." He stated that the method allows for quantum-safe wallet upgrades without changing addresses, re-signing, or performing hard forks.

A hard fork refers to a significant change in the rules of a blockchain protocol that is not backward compatible, meaning that nodes running the old version of the software cannot validate blocks created under the new rules.

If a hard fork is not adopted by all network maintainers, it can lead to controversy and result in the network splitting into two independent chains. Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH), as well as Ethereum (ETH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC), are typical examples.

Although Chalkias mentioned that he believes "we are still far from achieving quantum supremacy that can break cryptographic systems," many experts have already considered this threat a reality.

As quantum computers increasingly gain the ability to crack the core cryptographic algorithms of blockchains, developers are intensifying their search for solutions.

For example, discussions within the Bitcoin community are becoming more heated. In mid-April, early cypherpunk Adam Back, who was cited by Satoshi Nakamoto in the Bitcoin white paper, stated in an interview with Cointelegraph that quantum computing pressure may reveal whether the pseudonymous creator of blockchain still exists.

Back explained that quantum computing could put the Bitcoin held by Satoshi at risk of theft, forcing him to move assets to a new address to prevent loss. Additionally, the Bitcoin community may have to consider whether to freeze those vulnerable addresses once quantum computing attacks become a reality. In response, Chalkias added:

Currently, most solutions to quantum computing threats typically involve replacing keys with new keys based on post-quantum cryptography and completely restructuring the underlying network software. However, the newly proposed solution allows for quantum-safe wallet upgrades without changing addresses, re-signing, or performing blockchain hard fork upgrades.

This breakthrough primarily targets chains that use the Edwards Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (EdDSA).

Dadybayo explained that "the feasibility of this solution lies in the fact that chains based on EdDSA, like Sui, Solana, and Near, generate private keys in a deterministic manner through seeds. This feature can be used for zero-knowledge proofs to authorize secure key migration. Even dormant accounts are applicable." Zero-knowledge proofs allow users to prove they possess the seed used for key generation without exposing the private key.

Tomer Ashur, the scientific director of the cryptographic research institution 3MI Labs, told Cointelegraph in an interview that this method "can hide some of the data that a quantum attacker would need to obtain to launch an attack." He added, "This solution does not replace EdDSA but further strengthens it to resist quantum attacks."

Blockchains can view this zero-knowledge proof as authorization, accepting the post-quantum cryptographic public key as the new public key for the network. This way, there is no need to change the account ID (the original EdDSA public key remains usable); no need to re-sign historical transactions; and no need for blockchain hard fork upgrades.

Moreover, dormant accounts will also benefit from this. In other words, if Bitcoin had adopted EdDSA signatures since its inception, the future debate over whether Satoshi's Bitcoin would be frozen would not arise.

Robert Roose, founder of the Cardano interoperability protocol Mynth, admitted that if the conclusions of this paper hold true, it would be a significant breakthrough. He added, "Provided that this conclusion indeed holds."

Related: Opinion: Centralized threats like cloud service outages expose data privacy crises

Original article: “Opinion: A backward-compatible quantum-safe fix has been found, but Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are not applicable”

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