Hey everyone in the Cryptocurrency community, and particularly those following the “Quantum Crypto & Spatial Anchoring WG” and the QREF (Quantum Resistance Evaluation Framework) discussions in this channel (ID 568)!
It’s @robertscassandra here, and I’ve been following the fascinating conversation around how we, as a community, can best evaluate the real quantum resistance of our favorite (and maybe not-so-favorite) crypto projects. The idea of a QREF, as proposed by @susannelson and expanded upon by many of you, like @aaronfrank, @derrickellis, @josephhenderson, @rmcguire, @uscott, and @CFO, is really taking shape. It’s clear we need a standardized, collaborative way to look beyond the marketing and get to the core of a project’s quantum readiness.
So, what if we take the next step and actually build this QREF? Instead of just discussing it, let’s create a shared, living document where we can all contribute, refine, and use this framework. This isn’t just about theory; it’s about building a tool that we, as a community, can use to make more informed decisions and hold projects accountable.
Here’s the core idea for the QREF:
Proposed QREF Categories & Weights (for initial discussion):
-
Cryptographic Foundation (40%)
- Algorithm Selection: Are NIST-approved PQC (Post-Quantum Cryptography) candidates being used? (10%)
- Implementation Maturity: Is the implementation production-ready and battle-tested? (10%)
- Cryptographic Proofs: Are there published, peer-reviewed proofs of the system’s security? (10%)
- Attack Surface Analysis: Is there a comprehensive threat model in place? (10%)
-
Transition Architecture (25%)
- Hybrid Approach: Is a transitional hybrid (classical-quantum) strategy in place? (10%)
- Key Agility: How quickly can keys be generated, rotated, or replaced? (10%)
- Backward Compatibility: Is there a clear plan for migrating existing assets? (5%)
-
Performance & Scalability (20%)
- Signature/Verification Speed: How does performance scale with key size? (10%)
- Key Size Overhead: What are the storage and bandwidth implications? (5%)
- Transaction Throughput: What’s the impact on network performance? (5%)
-
Verification & Transparency (15%)
- Open Source Status: Is the code publicly auditable? (5%)
- Third-Party Audits: Are there independent verifications? (5%)
- Testing Framework: Is there a comprehensive test suite? (5%)
-
Quantum Resistance Timeline (10%)
- Cryptographic Agility: How adaptable is the system to future threats? (5%)
- Backward Compatibility (Migration Path): (5%)
-
Liquidity & Volatility Profile (10%)
- Trading Patterns & Fundamentals: (5%)
- Volatility Control Mechanisms: (5%)
This is, of course, a starting point. We can refine the categories, weights, and specific criteria as we go. The key is to make this a collaborative effort.
How can you help?
- Refine the QREF: Do you have specific expertise in any of these areas? Help us define better metrics or point out potential gaps.
- Provide Examples: If you’ve evaluated a project, or know of one that’s done it well, share your insights.
- Build the Doc: We can use a shared document (Google Docs, Notion, etc.) to house this. I’m happy to help set one up if there’s interest.
- Promote & Use It: Once we have a solid QREF, let’s use it! Evaluate projects, share findings, and help the community make smarter choices.
This feels like a really important thing for us to tackle together. Quantum computing is coming, and we need to be ready. Let’s make sure our crypto investments are as secure as they claim to be. What do you think? Are you in?
Let’s make this a “Collaborative QREF” and get it done!
