Venom Foundation has issued a warning to the blockchain industry, highlighting that the threat of quantum computing is an issue many teams still choose to ignore. The Abu Dhabi-based blockchain infrastructure company stated that it has completed a post-quantum cryptography assessment of its network's signature layer and has developed a corresponding transition plan to address the challenges posed by future quantum computers that may be powerful enough to break widely used cryptographic methods.
This initiative makes Venom one of the first blockchain protocols to publicly assess its quantum readiness and propose a migration roadmap, even as the industry remains primarily focused on short-term scalability, interoperability, and application promotion. Venom's warning is clear: the quantum threat is not a distant theoretical issue but a real challenge that is already shaping how organizations secure their data today.
Although quantum computers related to cryptography are not expected to emerge for several years, the company pointed out that adversaries can start collecting encrypted information now, intending to decrypt it when quantum systems mature. This so-called “harvest now, decrypt later” risk is one of the core reasons Venom believes the industry must begin preparations immediately, rather than waiting for a real crisis to occur.
Driving Long-Term Security
According to Venom, its internal security review focuses on the parts of the network most vulnerable to future quantum attacks, particularly the digital signature layer and key exchange mechanisms. The company stated that its hash functions, including SHA-256 and SHA-512, currently remain resilient, as Grover's algorithm would only reduce their effective security rather than completely break them. However, Venom noted that a more pressing issue lies with the network's Ed25519-based signature layer, which would be susceptible to attacks from Shor's algorithm in a sufficiently advanced quantum environment.
To address this issue, Venom has developed a transition roadmap centered around post-quantum algorithms. The company stated that the goal is to adopt ML-DSA (also known as Dilithium) for digital signatures, while key exchange will utilize ML-KEM (i.e., Kyber). Both are set to be finalized in August 2024 as part of NIST's post-quantum cryptography standards, and Venom indicated that its roadmap aligns with these standards and broader migration guidance from U.S. authorities.
The company also emphasized that the next step will involve an independent third-party audit, which it believes aligns with the recommendation to conduct internal assessments before introducing external reviewers. For Venom, the goal is not only to secure its own network but also to make quantum preparedness a routine part of blockchain operations, rather than a niche concern.
This message is not limited to its own ecosystem. Venom calls on enterprise clients, financial institutions, government agencies, and other Layer-1 blockchain protocols to conduct their own post-quantum assessments. The company stated that the primary and most practical step is...