The Solana developers have created a quantum-resistant vault to protect users from the threat of quantum computers. The first implementation of such a system in Solana is called the “Solana Winternitz Vault,” which uses a hash-based signature for transaction security.
Unlike ordinary wallets, attackers can exploit public keys, exposing them to massive hacks and potentially stealing funds. The vault generates a new, random key for each transaction. This reduces the risk of attacks on exposed public keys, especially from users reusing the same keys in certain wallets.
Dean Little, a cryptography researcher and Zeus Network’s chief scientist, detailed this advancement in a Jan. 3 GitHub post. The process begins by creating a new Winternitz keypair and computing the Keccak256 Merkle root of the public key.
Users then generate a signature over a message containing the amount of “imports,” the smallest unit of Solana’s native cryptocurrency. After completing a transfer, the system redirects any remaining funds to a refund account before closing the vault.
This quantum-resistant feature is not an upgrade that has been enforced across the entire Solana network. For users to enjoy the features of the Winternitz Vault, they have to opt to store their funds in it actively. This means that Solana is keen to anticipate technological developments that might pose a threat to the security of blockchain.
Quantum computing and the push for resistance
The idea of quantum-resistant cryptography is not new. In 2019, David Chaum, the so-called ‘father of crypto,’ launched Praxxis.s. The author of the paper focused on preventing quantum computing attacks while tackling the problems of blockchain, which include scalability, privacy, and security issues.
The conversation around quantum resistance picked back up in 2019 after Google announced it had demonstrated quantum supremacy. Their 53-qubit computer could work through a problem in 200 seconds, which would take other computers more than 10,000 years.
Later, Google’s Willow chip provided much more powerful performance while completing the task that would require the supercomputers 7 septillion years to accomplish in just five minutes.
Despite differing views on the timeline for quantum computers becoming a real threat, blockchain networks are taking preventive measures. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin suggests quantum computing threats are still decades away. However, Solana’s quantum-resistant vault exemplifies how developers are striving to stay ahead, ensuring long-term security for blockchain users.
