Every transaction and data storage on a blockchain incurs costs, including payment fees, gas for smart contract operations, and resources for data storage. Reducing the size of the variables associated with these transactions without compromising functionality or security can lead to significant savings in communication, storage, and transaction fees.
Cutting machine introduction
Truncator, a mining-based technology designed by Sui, reduces the cryptographic output size of blockchain systems without sacrificing security. sui blog.
How the cutter works
Truncator adds an extra step during transaction construction, providing significant benefits by reducing transaction size and associated gas costs. This process takes a few seconds, but is useful for transactions where variable size reduction is more important than speed. This approach helps reduce transaction fees and benefits the entire ecosystem by lowering storage and communication costs.
Truncator technology
A truncator involves an iterative search over the input or randomness of cryptographic primitives to find a more efficient encrypted output. This method crafts the output of each primitive to satisfy modified system parameters, such as having specific bits in the output constants. This is similar to a proof-of-work mechanism that requires miners to continuously digest the same data into various random values until certain system requirements are met, with the goal of simplifying the output.
For example, in a key generation algorithm for discrete log-based keys, iterative searches for the secret key can be used to check whether the derived public key has a predetermined ℓ-bit prefix, making the public key smaller and reducing communication and storage costs.
security guarantee
Security is still of paramount importance and the bit security framework shows that Truncator does not reduce key security. The framework states that a primitive has κ-bit security if an attacker performs 2^κ operations to break it, meaning that the higher attack cost offsets the reduced key space, maintaining the level of security.
real application
Iterative search methods to reduce the size of keys and addresses have appeared before in blockchains, particularly in Ethereum proposals for “gas golf.” Truncator formalizes and extends this idea into several cryptographic primitives, such as hash digests, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) public keys, and signature outputs. For example, approximately 7% compression was achieved in less than 1 second for the ed25519 signature and less than 10 milliseconds for the compressed Blake3 digest. Truncator has also been used in ElGamal cryptography and Diffie-Hellman based cryptography, which are commonly used for blockchain stealth addresses.
A new approach for hash-based post-quantum signatures
Truncator’s technology offers the opportunity to build new cryptographic schemes, especially for post-quantum security. Hash-based signature schemes, such as Lamport signatures, are inherently quantum resistant. Future plans may include incorporating mining feasibility to adjust key generation to enhance resistance to quantum computing attacks. Optimizing key derivation in hash-based signature schemes can improve performance and efficiency, which is important for maintaining security and usability in the post-quantum world.
Lamport signature optimization
Optimizing hash-based signatures at the key derivation level enables high-performance mining with better results than brute force. For example, a traditional Lamport signature includes a private key consisting of 256 pairs of 256-bit random values (16 KiB total). Each child private key corresponds to a public key, resulting in 512 elements. By compressing Lamport signatures through techniques such as the Winternitz hash chain transformation, we can reduce the number of keys required for submission, optimize Lamport verification, and shorten the proof.
conclusion
Truncator provides an innovative approach to reducing the output size of cryptographic primitives, providing computational trade-offs that open new exploration methods. The application to basic cryptographic primitives and the potential to optimize hash-based signatures at the key derivation level are highlighted. Truncator’s future expansion could improve the efficiency of the blockchain ecosystem and reduce storage costs. Sui is particularly excited to integrate these optimizations into our roadmap for post-quantum security, fostering innovation while maintaining strong security standards.
Image source: Shutterstock
. . .
tag