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Proposing a P2QRH BIP towards a quantum resistant soft fork

Proposing a P2QRH BIP towards a quantum resistant soft fork

Original Postby conduition

Posted on: January 11, 2025 22:13 UTC

The discussion revolves around the evolution of approaches to implementing changes in blockchain technology, particularly emphasizing a shift from DASK to more recent proposals that facilitate these changes through soft forks without necessitating new address formats.

A notable proposition comes from Matt Corallo, who suggests disabling key-spending on P2TR addresses and employing one of the OP_SUCCESS opcodes reserved by BIP342 for validating a post-quantum signature scheme within a taproot script-path spend branch. This approach introduces innovative yet complex strategies to secure the script branch until its activation, aiming to make it a practical solution surpassing DASK's capabilities.

Corallo's proposal garners support for its potential to extend the space-saving advantages of taproot. It initially recommends adopting SPHINCS for implementation, though the discourse suggests a preference for WOTS (Winternitz One-Time Signature) or FORS (Forward Secure Sealed Sender) as more efficient and future-proof alternatives for direct transaction signing or as a certification layer. Despite acknowledging SPHINCS as a viable option, there's an inclination towards exploring other hash-based signatures, with Compact WOTS+C highlighted for its balance of efficiency and security.

The conversation outlines several critical steps toward realizing this vision: achieving consensus on the preferred hash-based signature method, deciding on its application for either direct transaction signing or as a certification layer, developing a reference implementation for key generation, establishing validation protocols for the new opcode akin to past BIPs, and documenting these processes in a BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal) for community feedback. Additionally, there's mention of potentially authoring a client-side BIP to define deterministic key generation and safe, future-proof taptree structures.

Despite the enthusiasm for advancing this proposal, constraints related to existing commitments are acknowledged, limiting direct involvement but not diminishing the willingness to contribute through review and feedback. The inclusion of Matt Corallo's post provides a resourceful link for those interested in delving deeper into the technical specifics of the proposed soft fork and its implications for enhancing blockchain security and efficiency against quantum computing threats.

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