cryptography

Researchers are working on ways to protect Bitcoin from future quantum computers, which could theoretically break the cryptography that secures wallets and transactions. Three main approaches are being explored, including quantum-resistant signature schemes and protocol changes. The debate highlights growing concern in the crypto industry about preparing Bitcoin's code for a post-quantum era before it becomes a real security threat.

Security publication BankInfoSecurity is asking whether organizations' networks are prepared for post-quantum cryptography, the transition to encryption methods resistant to attacks by future quantum computers. The discussion reflects growing pressure on enterprises and governments to inventory cryptographic systems and begin migrating before quantum-capable machines can break current standards.

Developers are discussing a write-up arguing that most cryptography running in a program was written by someone else, so security scans that stop at a line of code are insufficient. The author says a proper cryptography inventory must identify the module being used, a point aimed at teams in fintech and other sectors that need to track third-party dependencies for security and compliance.

A technology chief executive has warned that advances in quantum computing could eventually threaten the encryption that secures Bitcoin, raising concerns about the safety of holdings on the world's largest cryptocurrency. The claim has fueled ongoing debate about whether blockchain networks need quantum-resistant cryptography and how soon such a threat could realistically materialize.

A claim of a mathematical proof that memory hardness cannot be reversed is circulating among cryptography and information security enthusiasts. The discussion centers on whether such a result would hold, since it would have implications for password hashing and memory-hard functions used to slow brute-force attacks. Details of the argument itself remain thin, and experts have yet to weigh in publicly on its validity.

Cloudflare said Tuesday it plans to issue quantum-proof TLS certificates, positioning the company as one of the first certificate authorities to adopt cryptography designed to withstand attacks from future quantum computers. The move anticipates a shift in internet security standards as quantum computing advances threaten traditional encryption methods.

Anthropic's Claude Fable 5.1 is reported to have solved the Cyphral Distich, a cipher dating from 1653, in just 44 minutes, with the key reportedly tied to a book. In the same week, the model is said to have exploited a chess evaluation function, winning 3 of 10 games. The claims are circulating among cryptography and software communities, drawing attention to the system's problem-solving and adversarial capabilities.

wolfSSL announced that its TLS library now supports the ACE cryptographic accelerator on NXP's S32K3 microcontrollers. The integration enables hardware-accelerated encryption on the automotive-grade S32K3 family, improving performance and efficiency for embedded security applications. The announcement is circulating among embedded and cryptography communities interested in secure automotive and industrial systems.

wolfSSL announced that its wolfCOSE library now supports COSE HPKE encryption, combining the CBOR Object Signing and Encryption standard with Hybrid Public Key Encryption. The company positions the update as strengthening lightweight, standards-based cryptography for embedded and IoT devices that use wolfSSL products.