The development team behind the Zcash full node, Zakura, has announced a strategy to implement post-quantum signature opcodes. These low-level instructions are expected to be integrated into the Zcash network by January. The primary objective is to establish fully post-quantum secure transparent pools utilizing hash-based signatures.
Zakura’s defense mechanism involves rotating to new addresses after every transaction to hide public keys and incorporating WOTS, a hash-based backup signature. This method avoids elliptic-curve mathematics, which are considered vulnerable to potential AI or quantum computing threats. To mitigate linkability issues caused by address rotation, the team is implementing private information retrieval.
The private information retrieval feature is currently being deployed in the Vizor wallet, allowing users to test it via a private queries setting. This development follows recent warnings from Ethereum researchers regarding the potential for AI-driven mathematical advancements to compromise existing signature schemes in the near future.
The current plan focuses exclusively on the transparent side of the Zcash network. The team has not yet provided specific details regarding the activation process or the timeline for the network-wide rollout of these opcodes. This initiative coincides with increasing institutional interest in Zcash, including new ETF and ETP proposals.
