Protecting Bitcoin from Quantum Threats

Bitcoin could undergo a significant cryptographic overhaul if a new proposal gains traction. Developer Agustin Cruz has introduced a draft Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) called Quantum-Resistant Address Migration Protocol (QRAMP). The proposal outlines a plan to migrate BTC from legacy wallets to ones secured by post-quantum cryptography across the entire network. The plan would make nodes running the updated software reject transactions from addresses using ECDSA cryptography after a predetermined block height, as this method could be vulnerable to quantum attacks.

The Hard Fork Solution

Bitcoin’s current algorithms include SHA-256 for mining and ECDSA for signatures. According to Cruz, legacy addresses without transactions have extra protection, but those that have exposed their public keys may be vulnerable to quantum computers. Implementing the proposal would require a hard fork, a change that would make older versions incompatible. The community may resist this move.

One Reddit user praised the effort but noted that non-migrated coins, including Satoshi’s, would remain vulnerable. Another user pointed out that implementing post-quantum security for all coins would require a hard fork, potentially creating a new coin rather than upgrading Bitcoin.

Preventive Measures

The proposed solution sets a migration deadline to lock funds unless they’re moved to a more secure wallet. This BIP is a preventive measure, not a response to an imminent quantum breakthrough. During the migration window, users can still move funds freely. Wallet developers, block explorers, and other infrastructure providers are called upon to build tools and warnings to help users comply.

After the deadline, non-upgraded nodes could fork from the network if they continue accepting legacy transactions. This isn’t the first proposal to defend Bitcoin from quantum threats. BTQ, a startup, has proposed an alternative to Proof of Work (PoW) involving quantum technology, called Coarse-Grained Boson Sampling (CGBS). However, this would also require a hard fork and replacing existing hardware with quantum-ready infrastructure.