01-30, 13:25–13:45 (Europe/Zurich), Beam Stage
Quantum computers are on the verge of becoming a reality, posing significant risks to blockchain systems like Ethereum due to their ability to break classical cryptographic algorithms. In this talk, we’ll explore the challenges posed by quantum computing and dive into some potential strategies to make Ethereum resistant to these emerging threats.
In this talk, we’ll outline four critical areas where changes are needed to make Ethereum post-quantum resistant:
Replacing BLS in Consensus: BLS signatures are integral to Ethereum’s proof-of-stake consensus, but they are vulnerable to quantum attacks. We’ll explore post-quantum alternatives and their integration challenges.
ECDSA Signature Scheme: Ethereum’s transaction signatures rely on ECDSA, which quantum computers could easily break. We’ll discuss replacing it with quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms.
Verkle Trees: Verkle trees promise efficient state management, but their cryptographic underpinnings also need to withstand quantum attacks. We’ll examine potential post-quantum solutions for maintaining scalability and security.
Data Availability Sampling (DAS): Ensuring data availability in a post-quantum world requires rethinking sampling techniques to secure rollups and sharded data structures against new attack vectors.
Antonio is a Cryptographer and Researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, specializing in cryptographic protocols with a focus on elliptic curves and isogenies. He holds a PhD in Computer Science with a focus on Cryptography from Ruhr-University, where his research advanced the theoretical and practical understanding of elliptic curve and isogeny-based cryptography. Antonio's work bridges foundational cryptographic theory and its applications, contributing to the development of secure systems in the blockchain space. Previously, he worked at Adobe Research Switzerland and co-authored the book OAuth 2 in Action. His research interests center on the mathematical underpinnings of modern cryptographic schemes, particularly those leveraging algebraic structures.