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Ethereum [ETH] co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently addressed concerns regarding the network’s vulnerability to a potential quantum computing attack.
In a detailed post on Ethereum Research dated the 9th of March, Buterin outlined the network’s preparedness in the event of a “quantum emergency.”
In doing so, he emphasized Ethereum’s proactive stance in mitigating the impact of such a scenario.
“Suppose that it is announced tomorrow that quantum computers are available, and bad actors already have access to them and are able to use them to steal users’ funds.”
This remark outlined the ongoing efforts within the Ethereum community to safeguard user funds and maintain network security amidst evolving technological threats.
Why is a hard fork crucial?
Rapid advancements in quantum technology have raised concerns about Ethereum’s vulnerability to quantum computing.
In response, Ethereum is actively exploring quantum-resistant solutions to protect its network.
Buterin outlined a plan involving a necessary hard fork in the event of a quantum emergency, reassuring users that their funds would remain secure throughout the process.
Buterin noted,
“I argue that actually, we are already well-positioned to make a pretty simple recovery fork to deal with such a situation.”
He further added,
“The blockchain would have to hard fork and users would have to download new wallet software, but few users would lose their funds.”
What lies ahead?
Buterin reassured users who hadn’t approved transactions from an Ethereum wallet, stating they were already safe from quantum-related exploits, as only the wallet address had been publicly available.
He also noted that the infrastructure for implementing such a hard fork,
“Could, in principle, start to be built tomorrow.”
Thus, while quantum computing posed a significant threat to blockchain encryption, experts suggested it remained a distant concern.
Engineers from Google and IBM estimated that quantum computing wouldn’t reach maturity until at least 2029.
These insights highlighted Ethereum’s proactive stance in addressing potential vulnerabilities and the ongoing efforts within the crypto community to adapt to emerging technological challenges.
