Ethereum Researchers Propose SPHINCS- Signature Scheme For Post-Quantum Wallets
Ethereum researchers have proposed SPHINCS-, a stateless post-quantum signature verification scheme optimized for the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Designed to function within the existing EVM without protocol changes or new precompiles, it replaces standard hash functions with EVM-native KECCAK256, enabling a Solidity implementation. The scheme is tailored for wallet use, targeting a more practical signature budget (2^14 to 2^20 signatures per key) rather than the standard astronomical limit, reflecting typical Ethereum address transaction patterns. A key variant, C13, is reported to verify signatures at about 127,000 gas with a 3,704-byte signature. The proposal, credited to researcher nicocsgy with acknowledgments to Vitalik Buterin, is currently a non-standard research concept, not a finished standard. It highlights trade-offs, such as long signing times on certain hardware wallets, but contributes to the broader, essential conversation on preparing Ethereum's account security for a future with quantum computers.
bitcoinist06/13 01:06
