Bitcoin could go to its most swept cryptographic overhaul to date if a new proposal is gaining ground.
A draft proposal for improving Bitcoin (BIP) entitled Quantum resistant address migration protocol (Qramp) was introduced by the developer Agustin Cruz. He describes a plan to apply a migration on the scale of the BTC network of portfolios inherited to those fixed by post-auntum cryptography.
Quantum IT implies moving away from a process depending on the binary code, those and zeros, and exponentially increasing the computing power using quantum bits (qubits) which exist simultaneously in several states. Such a power jump should threaten modern computer encryption built by conventional machines.
The proposal suggests that after a predetermined block height, the nodes running the updated software would reject any transaction trying to spend parts from an address using ECDSA cryptography, which could theoretically make it vulnerable to quantum attacks.
A hard fork debate
Bitcoin is currently based on algorithms, including SHA-256 for mining and digital signature algorithm of the Elliptical Courbe (ECDSA) for signatures. According to Cruz, the inherited addresses that have not yet treated are protected by additional layers, while those that have exposed their public keys – necessary to perform transactions – can now be vulnerable “if sufficiently powerful quantum computers”.
This decision would require a hard fork, which will probably be a great request from the community. A hard fork refers to a modification of a blockchain which makes an old version incompatible.
“I admire the effort, but that will always leave all those who do not migrate valid coins, including the pieces of Satoshi,” said a Reddit user about the new proposal.
“Bitcoin could implement post-quantic security for all the parts, but it would need a hard fork, which due to the history of Bitcoin and the Mantra repeated by Maxis which would create a new room and no longer would be Bitcoin.”
Find out more: The revisited blocking wars: how the civil war of Bitcoin still resonates today
Preventive measurement
The proposed solution establishes a migration deadline to lock these funds unless they are moved to a more secure portfolio. This proposal is not a response to any imminent breakthrough in quantum computer science. Instead, it is a preventive measure, but it comes a little more than a month after Microsoft unveiled Majorana 1, a quantum processing unit designed to evolve at a million qubits per chip.
During a migration window, users could still freely move the funds. The BIP calls for portfolio developers, block explorers and “other infrastructure” to create tools and warnings to help users comply.
After the deadline, unlikely nodes could get rid of the network if they continue to accept inherited transactions.
This is not the first time that someone has suggested a mechanism to defend Bitcoin against quantum computer threats. More recently, BTQ, a startup working to build a blockchain technology that can withstand quantum computers’ attacks, has offered an alternative to evidence for work proof (POW) involving quantum technology.
In his research document, BTQ proposed a method called sampling of the coarse grain boson (CGB). This process uses light particles (bosons) to generate unique models – samples – which reflect the current state of blockchain instead of mathematical puzzles based on hash.
However, this proposal would also require a hard fork involving minors and nodes replacing their existing ASIC equipment with an infrastructure ready for Quantum.
Read more: Quantum Startup BTQ offers a more energy efficient alternative to Crypto work proof
