Improving Bitcoin's Post-Quantum Transaction Efficiency with a Novel Lattice-Based Aggregate Signature Scheme Based on CRYSTALS-Dilithium and a STARK Protocol

Overview

Quantum computing is revolutionizing cryptography, but it will render the classical digital signature schemes such as ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) insecure. Therefore, post-quantum schemes are developed to protect Bitcoin’s post-quantum security. However, the large signature sizes of these existing post- quantum schemes cause Bitcoin’s post-quantum transaction efficiency to significantly decrease, which will be detrimental to the $331.6 billion Bitcoin industry. In this research, a novel lattice-based aggregate signature (LAS) scheme is crafted to improve Bitcoin’s post-quantum transaction efficiency, and it is based on CRYSTALS- Dilithium, the primary post-quantum signature scheme selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and a zero-knowledge Scalable Transparent Arguments of Knowledge (STARK) protocol. With compactness, correctness, and unforgeability proofs, the proposed scheme shows Strong Unforgeability under Chosen Message Attacks in the Quantum Random Oracle Model. Not only does it generate small signatures, but the scheme also takes advantage of Dilithium’s Number Theoretic Transform for easy implementation, STARK’s zero-knowledge proof to protect traders’ privacy, and a novel aggregation method to prevent rogue attacks. Implemented in Python, the proposed LAS scheme demonstrated its considerable advantages over other schemes: the proposed scheme improves Bitcoin’s post-quantum transaction efficiency by 6 times from Dilithium, allowing 1087 transactions per block (tpb) as opposed to Dilithium’s 159 tpb. The proposed LAS scheme surpasses the transaction efficiency of other known LAS schemes by a significant degree, and it will be crucial to Bitcoin once quantum computers are popularized. Furthermore, this LAS scheme can be modified to improve other cryptocurrencies’ post-quantum transaction efficiency. NORTH CENTRAL Face Your Fears: Creating A System to Study How Mice Overcome Their Fears Ava Jaffe Breck School, Golden Valley, MN Fear is an evolutionary mechanism developed to protect animals from harm but they must also be able to overcome that fear under the right circumstances. Although there has been testing to see how animals react in fearful situations, there hasn’t been much research into what occurs in their brains as they attempt to overcome these fearful encounters. We created a semi-realistic, mock predator to startle food-deprived mice as they attempt to overcome their fear to obtain a food pellet. We built an arena out of acrylic in which to perform the experiment, with a programmed trap door to regulate the movement of the mice into the arena. The arena has an open top to accommodate a mesoscope, a small camera designed to fit on top of the skulls of specially-bred mice. These mice have a fluorescent marker that lights up active areas of the brain, to facilitate tracking of brain activity during the trials. We found the food-deprived mice were significantly more likely to approach the predator than the control mice. We also found that there was not a significant difference in the likelihood of the mice approaching the predator as trials progressed. Our research can elucidate how the innate sense of fear can be overcome and could lead to better treatments for anxiety and other mental disorders.

Competition history

JSHS 2023 Category not listed

Resources

National JSHS abstract book

Related projects

ISEF · 2023