Ethereum Foundation Backs New Post-Quantum Security Venture, ZKNox

Ethereum Foundation has made a big Move in protecting Ethereum from post-quantum hacks and threats. Do you also worry about the fact that one day Quantum computers will advance to the level of breaking the cryptographic foundations?

Well, if yes, your worry is legit since Web3’s top layer networks can suffer potential disruptins from it, such as Ethereum.

Researchers and Analysts have long been worried from the looming threats on the cryptographic foundations from the ongoing advancements in the Quantum Computing world. For instance, in December 2024, Google unveiled the Willow quantum-computing chip, a 105-qubit processor that achieved a significant milestone in quantum error correction. Though it is not yet powerful enough to threaten Bitcoin’s encryption, which would require millions of qubits – the advancement did exemplify the need for the crypto community to explore quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions proactively.
In a step towards leading the required solutions and ways, Ethereum Foundation, the non-profit that manages Ethereum, has announced its grant support for a new venture – a post-quantum cryptography focused research organisation – ZKnox.
Though the exact amount of grant was not unveiled, ZKNox is set to work towards improving the post-quantum cryptography as quantum computing is evolving at an unprecedented pace.

Ethereum’s Push for Post-Quantum Security

Quantum computing has long been viewed as a potential disruptor to current cryptographic systems, including those securing blockchain network. Infact, Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, has also previously discussed the importance of quantum resistance and potential migration strategies to ensure that the blockchain remains secure in the coming decades. He has had suggested a strategic hard fork combined with the adoption of quantum-resistant cryptographic techniques.

Coming near to its fruition, through its grant program, the Foundation aims to support initiatives like post-quantum (PQ) cryptography-focused ZKNox that can future-proof Ethereum and other blockchain networks from potential quantum-based attacks.

According to the official announcement, the grant will provide ZKNox with the necessary resources to develop and implement quantum-resistant zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), a cryptographic method crucial to privacy and scalability in Ethereum’s ecosystem.

1/ Introducing ZKnox @zknoxhq ! This new research organization is at the forefront of advanced cryptography, backed by a grant from the Ethereum Foundation. Their mission: provide high impact open source code that improves Ethereum security and efficiency.

— Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) March 3, 2025

Need for Post-Quantum Cryptography

Since Quantum machines reply on qubits to solve complex problems simultaneously, the whole architecture of the internet and Ethereum can be in danger, at the ultimate peak scale of development in quantum computing.
Co-founded by the ex-CTO of unicorn Ledger, Baccha Nicolas, ZKnox, aims to develop such post-quantum cryptography techniques that will save Ethereum from the potential Quantum hacks and threats.

For your understanding, post-quantum (PQ) cryptography is a field dedicated to developing cryptographic methods that can withstand attacks from quantum computers. Current cryptographic standards, including those securing Ethereum’s blockchain, primarily rely on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), which quantum computers could potentially break using algorithms like Shor’s algorithm.

Can ZKnox be a game-changer in PQ security

 In its 2025 roadmap, ZKnox revealed that Ethereum’s reliance on ECDSA for externally owned account (EOA) signatures makes it vulnerable to quantum attacks. It aims for optimized implementation of the Number Theoretic Transform (NTT), a core operation in PQ cryptography that accelerates complex computations for PQ signature verification.

As the Ethereum Founcation revealed, the team at ZKNOX has implemented this NTT in Yul. The benchmark test revealed impressive gas savings for several PQ signature verification algorithms, using an agile approach allowed developers to use various signature schemes.

Post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, designed to resist quantum computer attacks, are often computationally intensive but NTTs speeds up complex calculations and help in improving the efficiency of post-quantum signature verification

In a notable efforts towards reducing the on-chain expense required for the implementations of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, it has reduced the the on-chain cost of FALCON signatures from 24M to 2.5M gas and proposed EIP-7885 to accelerate lattice-based cryptographic primitives. This step has made the PQ transactions 12x cheaper on Ethereum. It will also develop a clear and practical 7702 + 4337 integration scenario tailored for hardware wallets.

Towards a secured Post-Quantum future

Thus, the Ethereum Foundation’s grant to ZKNox represent a critical step in securing Ethereum’s future against quantum threats. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, ensuring robust cryptographic security is paramount. By investing in post-quantum solutions now, Ethereum is not only safeguarding its network but also setting a precedent for the broader blockchain industry.

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