StarkWare Unveils Three-Step Quantum-Resistant Roadmap for Starknet

StarkWare, the company behind the zero-knowledge-proof blockchain Starknet, has unveiled a three-step roadmap to counter the threat of quantum computing, while sharply criticizing the broader industry's lack of preparation.

Cointelegraph reported on June 30 that StarkWare said in an announcement that quantum-resistant cryptography already exists and that the only reason needed changes have not been made is that the industry is ignoring reality.

Chief Executive Officer Eli Ben-Sasson said the industry will remain vulnerable if it is too stubborn or too uninformed to act despite the availability of cryptographic technology that has been proven over decades. He called it ironic that a young industry born from rejecting legacy systems is now delaying a shift to quantum security.

Zero-knowledge STARK proofs, the core technology behind Starknet, are inherently quantum-resistant in their structure. Ben-Sasson said that if Starknet can achieve quantum resistance by using that cryptographic architecture, other chains can also do so by choosing the right cryptographic tools.

StarkWare's roadmap consists of three stages. The first would replace the Pedersen hash currently in use with a quantum-resistant version and add quantum-resistant signatures. The second would focus on developing migration tools that automatically move existing smart contracts to quantum-safe standards without requiring developers to rebuild them manually. The third covers areas Starknet cannot address on its own and that depend on a quantum-upgrade roadmap at the Ethereum layer.

Some researchers have warned that quantum computing could become powerful enough to break blockchain cryptographic defenses before 2030. Ethereum, Solana, Tezos and Algorand have already presented quantum-resistance roadmaps, while the Bitcoin community remains divided over how to respond.