Blockchain Verifiable Proof of Quantum Supremacy as a Trigger for Quantum-Secure Signatures

TL;DR

This paper proposes a blockchain-based smart contract that generates hard cryptographic puzzles to verify quantum supremacy and trigger quantum-secure fallback protocols, safeguarding assets against quantum threats.

Contribution

It introduces a novel Ethereum smart contract mechanism for trustless verification of quantum supremacy and transition to quantum-secure cryptography.

Findings

Successfully implemented the smart contract on Ethereum

Demonstrated the ability to verify quantum supremacy proofs

Established a protocol for transitioning to quantum-secure schemes

Abstract

Blockchain is a decentralized, distributed ledger technology that ensures transparency, security, and immutability through cryptographic techniques. However, advancements in quantum computing threaten the security of classical cryptographic schemes, jeopardizing blockchain integrity once cryptographic quantum supremacy is achieved. This milestone, defined here as the realization of quantum computers to solve practical cryptographic problems, would render existing security standards vulnerable, exposing blockchain assets (currency, data, etc.) to fraud and theft. To address this risk, we propose and implement a smart contract deployable on the Ethereum blockchain, having the ability to run applications on its blockchain, that generates classically intractable puzzles by probabilistically generating large, hard-to-factor numbers without requiring secret information. This contract then serves two purposes: to establish a mechanism (1) for a trustless, unbiased proof of cryptographic quantum supremacy by verifying solutions to these puzzles, and (2) to protect user funds on Ethereum by triggering quantum-secure fallback protocols upon detecting cryptographic quantum supremacy, since it is desirable to wait as long as possible to fall back to a quantum-secure scheme because of its inherent additional cost and complexity. These mechanisms demonstrate the ability to identify cryptographic vulnerabilities and ensure a smooth transition to quantum-secure standards, safeguarding blockchain assets in a post-quantum era.