Typically, blockchains use complex encryption based on mathematical problems such as large-number factorization. However, quantum computers can solve these problems at unprecedented speeds, potentially allowing attackers to forge signatures, insert fraudulent data, or disrupt the integrity of entire ledgers.
“Even the most advanced methods struggle against quantum attacks,” said Wu Tong, associate professor at the University of Science and Technology Beijing. Wu collaborated with researchers from the Beijing Institute of Technology and Guilin University of Electronic Technology to address this challenge.
Their solution is called EQAS, or Efficient Quantum-Resistant Authentication Storage. It was detailed in early June in the Journal of Software. Unlike traditional encryption that relies on vulnerable math-based signatures, EQAS uses SPHINCS – a post-quantum cryptographic signature tool introduced in 2015. SPHINCS uses hash functions instead of complex equations, enhancing both security and ease of key management across blockchain networks.
EQAS also separates the processes of data storage and verification. The system uses a “dynamic tree” to generate proofs and a “supertree” structure to validate them. This design improves network scalability and performance while reducing the computational burden on servers.
The research team tested EQAS’s performance and found that it significantly reduced the time needed for authentication and storage. In simulations, EQAS completed these tasks in approximately 40 seconds—far faster than Ethereum’s average confirmation time of 180 seconds.
Although quantum attacks on blockchains are still uncommon, experts say it’s only a matter of time. “It’s like a wooden gate being vulnerable to fire. But if you replace the gate with stone, the fire becomes useless,” said Wang Chao, a quantum cryptography professor at Shanghai University, who was not involved in the research. “We need to prepare, but there is no need to panic.”
As quantum computing continues to evolve, developments like EQAS represent an important step toward future-proofing blockchain systems against next-generation cyber threats.
