New Proposal Designed to Strengthen Ethereum Against Quantum Attack Threats

Post-Quantum Security Solution Could Protect Ethereum From Future Threats

A new study by researcher Nicolas Consigny on Ethereum Research shows that SPHINCS+, a post-quantum cryptography solution, could help Ethereum defend against future quantum computer attacks. Verifying one signature would cost around 2 million gas, or about 7 cents under current network conditions.

Consigny also said security company Fable has completed an initial audit of the system. More independent testing is still needed before the technology can be widely used.

One major advantage is that this solution could be added without making major changes to Ethereum’s core network, allowing some wallets and accounts to gain protection before a full protocol upgrade happens.

Quantum Computing Becoming a Bigger Threat to Blockchain

The proposal comes as concerns over quantum computing continue to grow. For years, cybersecurity experts have warned that Shor’s algorithm could break cryptography systems that protect blockchains like Ethereum.

New concerns emerged after recent research from Google Quantum AI. Researchers now estimate that around 1,200 logical qubits may be enough to threaten modern cryptography based on elliptic curves. While this is still far beyond current quantum computer capabilities, it is a much lower estimate than previous predictions.

The development has also increased concerns about a strategy known as “collect today, decrypt tomorrow.” In this scenario, hackers could store encrypted data today and wait until quantum computers become powerful enough to break it in the future.

Although Ethereum transactions are not immediately at risk, public keys exposed during certain transactions could become vulnerable once quantum computing technology reaches a more advanced stage.