Securing blockchain with quantum safe cryptography: When and how?

Abstract

Blockchain and quantum computing are trending topics in nowadays scientific communication, and they increasingly attract the attention of academia, but also industry stakeholders and policymakers. In this communication, we address the conundrum related to the quantum menace and the deployment of blockchain solutions. As any cryptographic product, blockchain security is affected by the advent of universal quantum computers. Besides the more or less certainty about its immediacy, we underline that blockchain is not substantially different from other secure and resilient platforms in such regard. On this ground, we discuss the main points of the roadmap that the research community in cryptography is currently taking to tackle the quantum challenge, and we highlight how these points should be properly integrated in the design and implementation of the life-cycle of blockchain products.