Ethereum Foundation Announces ZKnox, Established To Focus On Post-Quantum Cryptography
In Brief
The Ethereum Foundation announced the creation of ZKnox, a new research organization focused on advanced cryptography, with the goal of providing impactful open-source code to enhance Ethereum’s security and efficiency.
Non-profit organization supporting the development of the Ethereum blockchain, Ethereum Foundation announced the creation of ZKnox, a new research organization focused on advanced cryptography, with backing from the Ethereum Foundation.
ZKnox’s mission is to provide impactful open-source code aimed at enhancing Ethereum’s security and efficiency. The organization, founded by three experts in hardware security and cryptography (Elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC), zero-knowledge (ZK), multi-party computation (MPC)), places a strong emphasis on post-quantum cryptography, recognizing its growing importance as quantum computing advances.
The team includes Bacca Nicolas, Co-founder and former CTO of Ledger with over 25 years of experience in secure solutions; Dubois Renaud, a cryptologist with 20 years of experience at Thales Defense and Ledger; and Masson Simon, a cryptologist with 8 years of experience at Thales and Anoma. Their combined expertise covers the entire security chain, from user-end solutions like secure enclaves and hardware wallets to back-end systems such as Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and hardware security modules (HSMs), as well as on-chain security like smart contracts.
ZKnox Develops Optimized NTT, Reducing Ethereum Gas Costs By 12x
ZKnox has successfully developed an optimized version of the Number Theoretic Transform (NTT), a key operation in post-quantum cryptography (PQ) that accelerates complex computations needed for PQ signature verification.
The team innovatively implemented this NTT in Yul, and benchmark tests show large reductions in gas costs for various PQ signature verification algorithms. This flexible approach allows developers to choose from a range of signature schemes. For instance, the gas cost for full FALCON signature verification has decreased substantially—from 24 million gas to just 2 million. As a result, PQ transactions on Ethereum are now 12 times more affordable.
These breakthroughs are transformative for integrating post-quantum cryptography into Ethereum, providing enhanced security while improving cost efficiency, benefiting both developers and users.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
