StarkWare CEO and Zcash co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson called for hash-based cryptography in a Nov. 5 post, arguing that artificial intelligence could help attackers target systems before quantum computers arrive.
Ben-Sasson referred to “the strongest forms of cryptography” and pointed to ZK-STARKs. He did not cite a specific attack, name an AI system that had broken a cryptographic algorithm or identify an affected network or vulnerable wallet. The post included no migration plan.
ZK-STARKs are zero-knowledge proof systems that rely on collision-resistant hash functions. The quantum resistance associated with them concerns the proofs they generate. Changes to wallet keys and custody would require separate migration work, which Ben-Sasson did not address.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized three post-quantum cryptography standards in 2024. The set includes FIPS 205 for hash-based digital signatures, FIPS 203 for general encryption and FIPS 204 for digital signatures. ZK-STARKs serve as proof systems, a different function from the encryption and signature standards.
NIST’s Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards report (NIST IR 8547), published Oct. 27, sets out deprecation after 2030 and disallowance after 2035 for quantum-vulnerable public-key cryptography. EconoTimes previously outlined NIST’s transition timetable.
