Cryptography, including protocols securing blockchain networks like Ethereum, faces risks from emerging quantum computing technologies, whose ability to perform complex calculations in parallel makes traditional encryption methods vulnerable

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Currently, Ethereum (and most of the internet) relies on cryptographic techniques like ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) for security. These are extremely secure— for now. But quantum computers change the game. These machines operate on an entirely different principle than classical computers. Instead of processing one calculation at a time, they use qubits to solve complex problems in parallel. This means they could potentially crack ECDSA encryption in minutes— which would be catastrophic for Ethereum.

Quantum computing threatens all cryptocurrency networks that rely on current cryptographic standards, though experts disagree on the timescale of viable attacks. Some post-quantum methods, such as Falcon signature schemes, provide resistance against quantum computing-enabled attacks, but certain inefficient functions currently make the signatures expensive on Ethereum.