Term

Quantum Resistance

The ability of cryptographic systems to remain secure against attacks by quantum computers.

Type:
cryptography
security
Also known as:
post-quantum security
1
basic

Quantum resistance refers to cryptographic algorithms that are believed to remain secure even if large-scale quantum computers become practical. Traditional schemes like ECDSA and RSA could be broken by Shor’s algorithm, whereas post-quantum schemes are designed to resist such attacks.

Example 1.1

"If ECDSA were broken by quantum computers, attackers could derive private keys from exposed public keys; post-quantum signatures aim to prevent this."

2
mitigations

Near-term mitigations include best practices such as not reusing addresses (to avoid exposing public keys on-chain until spend time) and supporting upgrade paths to quantum-safe schemes.

Example 2.1

"Using fresh addresses in BCH means your raw public key is revealed only when you spend, reducing exposure."

All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.