Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has issued a clear warning to the broader blockchain industry about rushing post-quantum cryptographic upgrades, arguing that premature implementation could degrade network performance and introduce unexpected costs to users and validators.
“Post-quantum cryptography is often about 10 times faster, 10 times larger in proof size, and 10 times more inefficient,” Hoskinson said, noting that adding such systems without proper hardware support can significantly reduce throughput.
Future quantum attacks will pose significant challenges to current blockchain systems. This has led blockchain developers to discuss how to tackle this issue. These discussions included consideration of protocol updates.
But Hoskinson advised developers that the biggest challenge is timing. Therefore, we had to focus on this aspect rather than the specific fixes we needed. He further warned that rash actions could result in high costs for blockchain networks. He said the essential cryptographic tools to protect blockchain technology from future quantum attacks are already available.
Hoskinson guides blockchain developers to prepare for future quantum attacks
Hoskinson noted that the National Institute of Standards and Technology has created a post-quantum standard. public After this release, Cardano founders emphasized that the key issue is based on the costs associated with running a new protocol before validators and miners are ready.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that while some researchers believe that cutting-edge quantum computers could eventually break current encryption, sources report that there is still not much consensus on when this threat will materialize.
However, based on recently published predictions, practical quantum computing could take several years or even longer. 10 years from now.
Still, Hoskinson advised blockchain developers to focus on concrete developments, rather than hype or company timelines, when assessing how quickly this danger could materialize.
One good move suggested by the Cardano founders was to shift focus to DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. He claims that the program will conduct tests on several quantum computing techniques to determine whether they can produce useful results.
“This is the best independent and objective standard we can use to confirm if quantum computers will become a reality, when they will arrive, and who will manufacture them,” Hoskinson said.
Notably, DARPA has set 2033 as the year to determine whether large-scale quantum computing is possible.
Hoskinson reveals appropriate solutions to major emerging problems in the crypto industry
Similar to other major networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, reports from reliable sources highlight that Cardano utilizes elliptic curve cryptography. It is worth noting that because of Scholl’s algorithm, such a method is at great risk, i.e. if very powerful quantum computers are developed.
This news has heightened tensions in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, sparking heated debate among developers. To address this controversy, Hoskinson pointed out that the industry knows the proper ways to curb this problem. Nevertheless, he said the approach focuses on deciding between two different encryption methods.
To further elaborate on this point, he said that there are two options to choose from: hashing, which is utilized by Ethereum, and lattice, which is actually the preferred option.
Regarding Mr. Hoskinson’s statement, analysts gave their opinions on the matter. They highlighted that hash-based encryption relies on cryptographic hash functions to effectively generate digital signatures, and this is widely recognized as the most secure approach against future quantum threats.
Analysts also noted that these systems are simple, thoroughly researched, and established to be prudent. However, these are primarily used for data signing and are not suitable for general cryptographic purposes.