Preparing for computers that don't exist yet
Here's an uncomfortable truth: every blockchain using ECDSA is already compromised.
Not today. But quantum computers are coming. And when they arrive, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer can break ECDSA in hours. Every Bitcoin wallet, every Ethereum address, every signature ever made retrospectively vulnerable.
Trinity Protocol is built differently. We're quantum-resistant from day one.
The Quantum Threat
Classical computers solve problems step by step. Quantum computers solve many steps simultaneously using superposition.
For cryptography, this matters because of Shor's algorithm a quantum algorithm that can factor large numbers exponentially faster than classical computers.
| Cryptographic Primitive | Classical Security | Quantum Security |
|---|---|---|
| RSA-2048 | ~112 bits | 0 bits (broken) |
| ECDSA (secp256k1) | ~128 bits | 0 bits (broken) |
| SHA-256 | 256 bits | 128 bits (weakened) |
| AES-256 | 256 bits | 128 bits (weakened) |
The algorithms securing billions in crypto assets offer zero protection against quantum attacks.
When Will This Happen?
Nobody knows exactly. But estimates are converging:
- IBM: 100,000 qubit systems by 2033
- Google: Quantum advantage demonstrated (2019)
- NIST: Post-quantum standards finalized (2024)
- NSA: "Prepare now" guidance issued (2015)
The consensus: 10-15 years until cryptographically relevant quantum computers exist.
But here's the catch: attackers can harvest encrypted data today and decrypt it later. This is called "harvest now, decrypt later" (HNDL).
If your blockchain transactions are recorded forever (they are), quantum computers can eventually:
- Extract private keys from public keys
- Forge signatures for any transaction
- Steal funds from any wallet
Our Solution: Hybrid Post-Quantum Cryptography
Trinity Protocol implements hybrid cryptography—combining classical and post-quantum algorithms.
Why hybrid? Because:
- Post-quantum algorithms are newer and less battle-tested
- If either algorithm is broken, the other provides backup
- Gradual migration is safer than abrupt replacement
The Algorithms
We use NIST's finalized post-quantum standards:
ML-KEM-1024 (Key Encapsulation)
Formerly known as CRYSTALS-Kyber, ML-KEM provides quantum-resistant key exchange.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ML-KEM-1024 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Security Level: NIST Level 5 (highest) │
│ Public Key: 1,568 bytes │
│ Ciphertext: 1,568 bytes │
│ Shared Secret: 32 bytes │
│ Based On: Module Learning with Errors (MLWE) │
│ Classical Security: ~256 bits │
│ Quantum Security: ~128 bits │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How it works:
import { MlKem1024 } from 'mlkem';
// Generate key pair
const recipient = new MlKem1024();
const { publicKey, privateKey } = await recipient.generateKeyPair();
// Sender encapsulates a shared secret
const { ciphertext, sharedSecret: senderSecret } =
await MlKem1024.encapsulate(publicKey);
// Recipient decapsulates to get the same secret
const recipientSecret = await recipient.decapsulate(ciphertext);
// senderSecret === recipientSecret (both 32 bytes)
We use ML-KEM for:
- Cross-chain message encryption
- Validator-to-validator secure channels
- Long-term key storage in TON vaults
CRYSTALS-Dilithium-5 (Digital Signatures)
Dilithium provides quantum-resistant digital signatures.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CRYSTALS-Dilithium-5 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Security Level: NIST Level 5 (highest) │
│ Public Key: 2,592 bytes │
│ Signature: 4,595 bytes │
│ Based On: Module Learning with Errors (MLWE) │
│ Classical Security: ~256 bits │
│ Quantum Security: ~128 bits │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How it works:
import { Dilithium5 } from 'dilithium-crystals-js';
// Generate signing key pair
const { publicKey, privateKey } = await Dilithium5.generateKeyPair();
// Sign a message
const message = new TextEncoder().encode('Approve vault operation');
const signature = await Dilithium5.sign(privateKey, message);
// Verify signature (returns true/false)
const isValid = await Dilithium5.verify(publicKey, message, signature);
We use Dilithium for:
- Validator consensus signatures
- Emergency recovery authorization
- Long-term document signing
Trinity Protocol Integration
Here's how quantum-resistant cryptography fits into our architecture:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRINITY PROTOCOL │
├─────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┤
│ ARBITRUM │ SOLANA │ TON │
│ (Chain 1) │ (Chain 2) │ (Chain 3) │
├─────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Classical │ Classical │ QUANTUM-SAFE │
│ ECDSA │ Ed25519 │ │
│ │ │ ┌────────────────────────┐ │
│ Standard │ Standard │ │ ML-KEM-1024 encrypted │ │
│ operations │ monitoring │ │ recovery keys │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ Dilithium-5 signed │ │
│ │ │ │ emergency operations │ │
│ │ │ └────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ HYBRID CROSS-CHAIN LAYER │
│ │
│ Classical: ECDSA/Ed25519 │
│ + Quantum: Dilithium-5 │
│ │
│ Both required for validity │
└──────────────────────────────┘
Why TON for Quantum Storage?
TON serves as our quantum-safe vault for several reasons:
- Sharding Architecture: TON's workchain model allows dedicated quantum-safe shards
- Storage Cells: TON's cell-based storage efficiently handles larger post-quantum keys
- Emergency Recovery: If ECDSA is broken, TON keys remain secure
Hybrid Signature Scheme
Every critical operation requires two signatures:
interface HybridSignature {
classical: {
algorithm: 'ECDSA' | 'Ed25519';
signature: Uint8Array; // 64-65 bytes
publicKey: Uint8Array; // 33 or 32 bytes
};
quantum: {
algorithm: 'Dilithium5';
signature: Uint8Array; // 4,595 bytes
publicKey: Uint8Array; // 2,592 bytes
};
}
function verifyHybridSignature(
message: Uint8Array,
sig: HybridSignature
): boolean {
// BOTH must verify
const classicalValid = verifyClassical(message, sig.classical);
const quantumValid = verifyDilithium(message, sig.quantum);
return classicalValid && quantumValid;
}
If ECDSA is ever broken, the Dilithium signature still protects the operation.
Implementation Details
Key Generation
Validators generate hybrid key pairs during onboarding:
async function generateValidatorKeys(): Promise<ValidatorKeyBundle> {
// Classical keys (for current compatibility)
const classicalKeys = await generateECDSAKeyPair();
// Quantum-resistant keys (for future security)
const kemKeys = await MlKem1024.generateKeyPair();
const sigKeys = await Dilithium5.generateKeyPair();
return {
classical: {
publicKey: classicalKeys.publicKey,
privateKey: classicalKeys.privateKey, // Stored in TEE
},
quantum: {
kem: {
publicKey: kemKeys.publicKey,
privateKey: kemKeys.privateKey, // Stored in TEE
},
signature: {
publicKey: sigKeys.publicKey,
privateKey: sigKeys.privateKey, // Stored in TEE
},
},
};
}
Cross-Chain Message Encryption
Messages between validators are double-encrypted:
async function encryptCrossChainMessage(
message: Uint8Array,
recipientPubKeys: RecipientPublicKeys
): Promise<EncryptedMessage> {
// Layer 1: Classical encryption (ECDH + AES-256-GCM)
const classicalCiphertext = await encryptECDH(
message,
recipientPubKeys.classical
);
// Layer 2: Quantum-resistant encryption (ML-KEM + AES-256-GCM)
const { ciphertext: kemCiphertext, sharedSecret } =
await MlKem1024.encapsulate(recipientPubKeys.quantum);
const quantumCiphertext = await encryptAES(
classicalCiphertext,
sharedSecret
);
return {
kemCiphertext, // 1,568 bytes
encryptedPayload: quantumCiphertext,
};
}
Emergency Recovery Flow
If quantum computers break ECDSA, the emergency recovery process uses only quantum-safe primitives:
async function quantumSafeRecovery(
vaultId: string,
emergencyRequest: EmergencyRequest
): Promise<RecoveryResult> {
// 1. Verify Dilithium signature (quantum-safe)
const sigValid = await Dilithium5.verify(
emergencyRequest.dilithiumPubKey,
emergencyRequest.message,
emergencyRequest.dilithiumSignature
);
if (!sigValid) {
throw new Error('Invalid quantum-safe signature');
}
// 2. Decrypt recovery key using ML-KEM
const recoveryKey = await mlKem.decapsulate(
emergencyRequest.kemCiphertext
);
// 3. Execute recovery on TON (quantum-safe chain)
return await tonClient.executeRecovery(vaultId, recoveryKey);
}
Trinity Shield: Hardware TEE Integration
Private keys never exist in plain memory. They're stored in hardware Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs):
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TRINITY SHIELD TEE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ SECURE ENCLAVE │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Classical Keys │ │ Post-Quantum Keys │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ ECDSA privkey │ │ ML-KEM-1024 privkey │ │ │
│ │ │ Ed25519 privkey │ │ Dilithium-5 privkey │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Signing Operations │ │ │
│ │ │ Keys never leave enclave │ │ │
│ │ │ Only signatures/ciphertexts exported │ │ │
│ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ REMOTE ATTESTATION │ │
│ │ Proves code + keys are in genuine enclave │ │
│ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Supported TEE platforms:
- Intel SGX (Software Guard Extensions)
- AMD SEV (Secure Encrypted Virtualization)
- ARM TrustZone (for mobile validators)
Performance Considerations
Post-quantum algorithms are larger and slower than classical ones:
| Operation | ECDSA | Dilithium-5 | Overhead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Generation | 0.1ms | 0.5ms | 5x |
| Sign | 0.2ms | 1.5ms | 7.5x |
| Verify | 0.3ms | 0.8ms | 2.7x |
| Public Key Size | 33 bytes | 2,592 bytes | 78x |
| Signature Size | 65 bytes | 4,595 bytes | 71x |
We mitigate this through:
- Batching: Group multiple signatures into single verification operations
- Caching: Cache verified public keys and frequently-used computations
- Parallel Verification: Verify classical and quantum signatures simultaneously
- Selective Use: Only critical operations require full hybrid signatures
Formal Verification
Our quantum-resistant implementations are formally verified:
/-
Dilithium signature verification is deterministic
-/
theorem dilithium_verify_deterministic :
∀ (pk : DilithiumPublicKey) (msg : Message) (sig : DilithiumSignature),
dilithiumVerify pk msg sig = dilithiumVerify pk msg sig := by
intro pk msg sig
rfl
/-
Hybrid signature requires both components
-/
theorem hybrid_security :
∀ (msg : Message) (hybridSig : HybridSignature),
verifyHybrid msg hybridSig ↔
(verifyClassical msg hybridSig.classical ∧
verifyQuantum msg hybridSig.quantum) := by
intro msg hybridSig
unfold verifyHybrid
rfl
/-
If either algorithm is broken, the other provides security
-/
theorem defense_in_depth :
∀ (msg : Message) (hybridSig : HybridSignature),
(classicalBroken ∨ quantumBroken) →
¬(classicalBroken ∧ quantumBroken) →
remainsSecure hybridSig := by
intro msg hybridSig h_one_broken h_not_both
cases h_one_broken with
| inl h_classical => exact quantum_provides_security hybridSig h_classical
| inr h_quantum => exact classical_provides_security hybridSig h_quantum
Migration Timeline
We're implementing quantum resistance in phases:
| Phase | Timeline | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ✅ Complete | Hybrid key generation for validators |
| 2 | ✅ Complete | TON quantum-safe vault storage |
| 3 | Q1 2025 | Hybrid signatures for cross-chain operations |
| 4 | Q2 2025 | Full quantum-safe emergency recovery |
| 5 | Q4 2025 | Optional quantum-only mode |
Try It Yourself
Our quantum-resistant code is open source:
Repository: github.com/Chronos-Vault/chronos-vault-security
Key files:
-
lib/crypto/mlkem.ts- ML-KEM-1024 wrapper -
lib/crypto/dilithium.ts- Dilithium-5 wrapper -
lib/crypto/hybrid.ts- Hybrid signature scheme -
contracts/ton/quantum_vault.fc- TON quantum-safe vault
The Bottom Line
Quantum computers will break today's blockchain cryptography. The question isn't "if" but "when."
Trinity Protocol is ready:
- ML-KEM-1024 for quantum-safe key exchange
- CRYSTALS-Dilithium-5 for quantum-safe signatures
- Hybrid cryptography for defense in depth
- TON quantum vault for secure recovery
- Trinity Shield TEE for hardware key protection
- Formal verification proving it all works
When quantum computers arrive, your assets will be exactly where you left them.
Trust Math, Not Humans. 🔐
Series: Trinity Protocol Security
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