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Paper 2024/1178

Towards Quantum-Safe Blockchain: Exploration of PQC and Public-key Recovery on Embedded Systems

Abstract

Blockchain technology ensures accountability, transparency, and redundancy in critical applications, includ- ing IoT with embedded systems. However, the reliance on public-key cryptography (PKC) makes blockchain vulnerable to quantum computing threats. This paper addresses the urgent need for quantum-safe blockchain solutions by integrating Post- Quantum Cryptography (PQC) into blockchain frameworks. Utilizing algorithms from the NIST PQC standardization pro- cess, we aim to fortify blockchain security and resilience, partic- ularly for IoT and embedded systems. Despite the importance of PQC, its implementation in blockchain systems tailored for embedded environments remains underexplored. We propose a quantum-secure blockchain architecture, evaluating various PQC primitives and optimizing transaction sizes through tech- niques such as public-key recovery for Falcon, achieving up to 17% reduction in transaction size. Our analysis identifies Falcon-512 as the most suitable algorithm for quantum-secure blockchains in embedded environments, with XMSS as a viable stateful alternative. However, for embedded devices, Dilithium demonstrates a higher transactions-per-second (TPS) rate compared to Falcon, primarily due to Falcon’s slower sign- ing performance on ARM CPUs. This highlights the signing time as a critical limiting factor in the integration of PQC within embedded blockchains. Additionally, we integrate smart contract functionality into the quantum-secure blockchain, assessing the impact of PQC on smart contract authentication. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of deploying quantum-secure blockchain solutions in embedded systems, paving the way for robust and future-proof IoT applications.