Venom Foundation Completes Post-Quantum Assessment, Urges Blockchains to Prepare for Quantum Threat

Venom Foundation, a Layer-0/1 blockchain infrastructure provider, has completed an internal post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) assessment of its network’s signature layer. 

By undergoing an evaluation aligned with NIST’s finalized post-quantum cryptography standards (FIPS 203, 204, and 205) and the CNSA 2.0 migration guidance, Venom became one of the first blockchain protocols to formally assess its quantum readiness and publish a transition roadmap.

Harvest Now Decrypt Later Threat Pushes Venom Into Early Action

Industry consensus, supported by the Global Risk Institute’s Quantum Threat Timeline Report and U.S. government agencies, places the timeline for cryptographically-relevant quantum computers (CRQCs) at 5 to 10 years. 

However, the so-called “harvest now, decrypt later” threat, in which adversaries collect encrypted data today for future quantum decryption, means that sensitive information transmitted now could be compromised retroactively. 

The U.S. National Security Memorandum NSM-10 has set a 2035 deadline for full migration of federal systems to quantum-resistant cryptography.

“The migration window is now, not when quantum computers arrive,” said Christopher Louis Tsu, CEO of Venom Foundation. “This assessment was initiated proactively. Waiting for client requests or regulatory mandates is not a responsible strategy. We chose to act before the threat materializes, not after.“

What the Assessment Found

Venom Foundation’s internal security team conducted the PQC assessment, focusing on the components most vulnerable to quantum attacks: the network’s digital signature layer (Ed25519/EdDSA) and key exchange mechanisms.

The network’s hash functions (SHA-256/SHA-512) remain resilient, as Grover’s algorithm only halves their effective security, a reduction that is still considered adequate by current standards.

The assessment confirmed that Venom’s Ed25519-based digital signature layer is vulnerable to Shor’s algorithm and requires a planned migration to post-quantum algorithms. 

A PQC transition roadmap has been developed, targeting ML-DSA (Dilithium) for digital signatures and ML-KEM (Kyber) for key exchanges, both of which were finalized as NIST standards in August 2024. The network’s hash functions require no immediate changes.

An independent third-party audit is planned as the next phase of the process, which is consistent with the NIST and CISA recommendation to begin with an internal assessment before engaging external auditors.

A Call to the Industry: Start With a Cryptographic Bill of Materials

Venom Foundation is calling on enterprise clients, including financial institutions, government entities, and corporations, as well as fellow Layer-1 protocols to conduct their own post-quantum cryptographic assessments. The quantum threat affects the entire blockchain industry, and collective action is essential.

As a first practical step, Venom recommends every organization create a Cryptographic Bill of Materials (CBOM), a comprehensive inventory of all systems relying on quantum-vulnerable algorithms such as RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman. 

This is the foundational step recommended by NIST and CISA, and it can be completed internally without significant investment.

Why Most L1 Protocols Have Not Acted

Most Layer-1 protocols have not yet assessed their quantum readiness due to a combination of factors: currently there are no regulatory mandates specifically for blockchain, migrating cryptography for live networks often requires hard forks and validator coordination, PQC expertise in the blockchain space remains scarce, and many teams still view the quantum threat as too distant to act on.

“We believe this complacency is itself a risk,” said Tsu. ”We anticipate that quantum-resistance verification will become a standard requirement in enterprise and government procurement within the next 3 to 5 years, driven by NIST mandates and the NSM-10 directive targeting full PQC migration by 2035. Organizations that prepare now will have a significant competitive advantage“.

About The Venom Foundation

The Venom Foundation is a fintech company founded in Abu Dhabi that specializes in developing and implementing high-performance blockchain solutions. Venom’s mission is to provide blockchain infrastructure that streamlines financial services and is adaptable and scalable to the needs of massive national and international enterprises. The company specializes in the creation, deployment, and integration of decentralized applications and services with a focus on security, speed, and regulatory compliance. The Venom network provides throughput capacity of up to 150,000 TPS with minimal fees and 99.99% uptime, supporting an ecosystem of DeFi, NFT, gaming, and enterprise solutions.

Contacts: [email protected] 

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