Cryptographic Primitives
in Blockchain
Blockchain technology relies on a set of fundamental cryptographic
primitives to ensure security, integrity, and decentralization.
These core building blocks form the foundation for the many
applications and use cases of blockchain.
by Vicky Vignes h
Hash Functions
1 Irreversibility 2 Collision
Resistance
Hash functions are one-
way, meaning it is It is extremely difficult
computationally infeasible to find two different
to recover the original inputs that produce the
input from the hash same hash value.
output.
3 Deterministic
The same input will always produce the same hash output,
allowing for data verification and integrity checks.
Digital Signatures
Authentication Non-repudiation Tamper Evidence
Digital signatures allow the The signer cannot deny that they Any alteration to the signed data
recipient to verify the identity of created the signature, providing will invalidate the signature,
the sender and the integrity of the proof of origin and intent. alerting the recipient of potential
message. tampering.
Public Key Cryptography
1 Key Pair
Each user generates a pair of cryptographic keys - a
public key and a private key.
2 Encryption
Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted
with the corresponding private key.
3 Key Exchange
Public keys can be shared freely, allowing secure
communication without the need for a shared secret.
Consensus Protocols
Proof of Work
Miners compete to solve complex cryptographic puzzles to add new blocks to the
blockchain.
Proof of Stake
Validators with a stake in the network are selected to propose and validate new
blocks.
Byzantine Fault Tolerance
The network can reach consensus even in the presence of malicious or faulty
nodes.
Secure Random Number
Generation
Hardware-based Software-based RNG
RNG
Relies on pseudorandom
Uses physical phenomena like algorithms seeded by entropy
thermal noise or radioactive sources to generate
decay to generate truly unpredictable numbers.
random numbers.
Cryptographic RNG
Combines hardware and software techniques to produce highly
secure random numbers for cryptographic applications.
Encryption Algorithms
Symmetric Key
The same secret key is used for both encryption and
decryption, providing confidentiality.
Asymmetric Key
Public and private keys are used for encryption and
decryption, ensuring data privacy.
Hybrid Encryption
A combination of symmetric and asymmetric algorithms,
balancing efficiency and security.
Trusted Execution
Environments
Isolation Sensitive code and data are
isolated from the untrusted
main operating system.
Attestation The integrity of the TEE and
its contents can be verified,
ensuring security.
Confidentiality Data and code within the TEE
are protected from
unauthorized access or
modification.
