Starknet, a zero-knowledge (ZK) layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum, announced the rollout of the Starknet Stack, allowing developers to create their own custom blockchains using Starknet’s zero-knowledge technology.
The software suite is available in three presets: StarkWare Sequencer, which most closely resembles the public Starknet stack; Madera, a fully customizable, open-source configuration; and Dojo, a mode optimized for gaming.
Following the announcement, Leo Sizaret, business development manager at StarkWare, said:
"We believe zero knowledge technologies are the future of blockchain. It gives you exceptional security and scalability while also being Quantum resistant and cost-efficient."
Starknet’s release of the SN Stack blockchain suite comes amid fears that quantum computers could break modern encryption standards used by blockchain networks and cryptocurrencies.
SN Stack configurations. Source: Starknet
Related: Is quantum computing a threat to your crypto portfolio?
Zero-knowledge tech as a shield against quantum attacks
Zero-knowledge technology allows users to verify information such as identity and account ownership without revealing the specific contents of that data. ZK technology exists in different implementations including ZK-stark, the technology that powers Starknet.
In November, XinXin Fan, the head of cryptography at IoTeX, received a best-paper award at the 2024 International Conference for Blockchain for co-authoring “Enabling a Smooth Migration Towards Post-Quantum Security for Ethereum.”
Fan and his fellow researchers proposed using hash-based, zero-knowledge proofs attached to every transaction as a way to quantum-proof the Ethereum network.
The researcher told Cointelegraph that hash functions, which are one-way mathematical calculations that cannot be reversed, are a cost-effective way of shielding sensitive economic data from quantum attacks.
After the publication of the research paper, Google unveiled Willow, which is a quantum computing processor capable of exponentially reducing errors.
Google’s Willow quantum processor specifications. Source: Google Quantum AI
According to Google, Willow can solve mathematical problems in less than five minutes that would take a binary computer 10 septillion years to work out.
Despite the exponential leap in processing power and error correction, computer scientists and physicists say that the quantum threat is overblown — at least in the near term.
Following a paper published by Shangai University in May 2024, which claimed that researchers working at the university were able to break encryption algorithms using a quantum computer, sensationalist headlines emerged.
YouTuber “Mental Outlaw” dispelled the media hype by pointing out that the quantum computer used in the Shanghai University experiment could only factor a 22-bit number.
Encryption key sizes. Source: Mental Outlaw
Encryption keys used in modern applications range between 2,048 to 4,096 bits, meaning modern encryption standards are safe from the current round of quantum computers.
Magazine: ZK-rollups are ‘the endgame’ for scaling blockchains: Polygon Miden founder
