ADVANCED
Cryptography & Post-Quantum Security
From the mathematical primitives underpinning every blockchain signature to the NIST-standardised algorithms that will replace them — this track builds a rigorous, end-to-end understanding of classical and post-quantum cryptography. You will learn why elliptic curve cryptography is vulnerable to quantum attack, how CRYSTALS-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium, SPHINCS+, and FALCON work at the lattice level, and what a realistic migration path looks like for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and production key-management systems.
16 hours·$79 USDC to certify·Off-chain credential
Curriculum
Cryptographic Primitives
Hash functions, symmetric encryption, and the fundamental building blocks of all cryptographic systems.
- What Is Cryptography?15 min
- Hash Functions: SHA-256 and Keccak-25620 min
- Symmetric Encryption and Key Derivation20 min
- Commitment Schemes20 min
Cryptographic Foundations
Classical cryptography primitives that secure blockchains today — hash functions, elliptic curve cryptography, digital signatures, and the mathematical hardness assumptions they rely on.
- Hash Functions and Collision Resistance35 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Elliptic Curve Cryptography45 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Symmetric Cryptography and Key Exchange30 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Cryptographic Hardness Assumptions40 min · 1 assessment(s)
The Quantum Threat Landscape
How quantum computers undermine classical cryptography: Shor's algorithm, Grover's algorithm, the harvest-now-decrypt-later attack, and realistic timelines for cryptographically-relevant quantum computers.
- Quantum Computing Fundamentals for Cryptographers40 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Shor's Algorithm: Breaking Public-Key Cryptography50 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Grover's Algorithm and Symmetric Security30 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later Attacks30 min · 1 assessment(s)
Public-Key Cryptography & Digital Signatures
Asymmetric key pairs, elliptic curve cryptography, ECDSA, Schnorr signatures, and BLS aggregation.
- Asymmetric Cryptography: Public and Private Keys20 min
- Elliptic Curve Cryptography and secp256k125 min
- ECDSA: How Digital Signatures Work25 min
- Schnorr Signatures and BLS Aggregation20 min
NIST Post-Quantum Standards
The four algorithms NIST standardised in 2024 — ML-KEM (Kyber), ML-DSA (Dilithium), SLH-DSA (SPHINCS+), and FN-DSA (FALCON) — with the lattice mathematics and security proofs behind each.
- The NIST Post-Quantum Standardisation Process30 min · 1 assessment(s)
- ML-KEM: The Post-Quantum Key Encapsulation Standard55 min · 1 assessment(s)
- ML-DSA: The Post-Quantum Signature Standard50 min · 1 assessment(s)
- SLH-DSA and FN-DSA: Hash-Based and FALCON Signatures45 min · 1 assessment(s)
Cryptography in Blockchain Systems
How hash functions, Merkle trees, HD wallets, and commitment schemes are applied in Bitcoin and Ethereum.
- Bitcoin Address Derivation20 min
- Merkle Trees and Inclusion Proofs25 min
- HD Wallets: BIP-32 and BIP-3925 min
- Ethereum Signing and EIP-71220 min
Zero-Knowledge Proofs
Completeness, soundness, and zero-knowledge — the three properties, SNARKs vs STARKs, and ZK applications in blockchain.
- What Are Zero-Knowledge Proofs?20 min
- SNARKs vs STARKs25 min
- ZK-Rollups and Privacy Applications20 min
Post-Quantum Blockchain Security
Threat models for Bitcoin and Ethereum under quantum attack, why hash-based commitments survive, how to embed post-quantum signatures into transaction formats, and the migration strategies being developed by core developers.
- Quantum Threat Model for Blockchains40 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Post-Quantum Signatures in Blockchain Protocols45 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Migration Strategies and Timelines35 min · 1 assessment(s)
Building Post-Quantum Systems
Practical implementation — hybrid classical-PQC schemes, post-quantum key management, using the Open Quantum Safe library, and a capstone challenge designing a quantum-resistant wallet architecture.
- Hybrid Classical and Post-Quantum Schemes40 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Implementing Post-Quantum Cryptography in Practice50 min · 1 assessment(s)
- Capstone: Designing a Quantum-Resistant Wallet60 min · 2 assessment(s)
Post-Quantum Security
The quantum threat to elliptic curve cryptography, NIST post-quantum standards, and the blockchain migration path.
- The Quantum Threat to Blockchain Cryptography20 min
- NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards25 min
- Blockchain's Post-Quantum Migration Path25 min
