What is FALCON?
FALCON is an asymmetric algorithm (a public-key system). In this system there are two keys: a private (secret key) and a public key.
- 🔐 Private key — used to create a digital signature. No one should ever know it.
- 🌍 Public key — needed to verify the signature. You can safely share it with everyone.
The whole point is that it would be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to calculate the private key if you only know the public one.
The Math Behind It
All asymmetric cryptography is based on trapdoor functions (one-way functions with a secret backdoor). These functions are easy to compute in one direction but nearly impossible to reverse.
Or, more accurately, it was impossible to reverse — because quantum computers are poised to turn everything upside down. Special algorithms (like Shor's algorithm) will help them do just that.
Enter: Lattice Problems
However, it's not all bad news. There are problems that can withstand an attack from such a computer. One of these is the lattice problem.
FALCON is exactly this: an asymmetric algorithm based on lattices. The name itself is an acronym for:
Fast-Fourier Lattice-based Compact signatures over NTRU
Why FALCON for Blockchains?
Given all its advantages, FALCON is a perfect fit for blockchains:
| Advantage | Impact |
|---|---|
| Compactness | Reduces network load |
| Small signatures | Lower transaction fees (economic efficiency) |
| Fast verification | Higher data transfer speed |
| Small tx size | Massively improved network throughput |
Thanks to FALCON, we can significantly reduce the size of a transaction — and this has a major impact on the network's throughput capacity.
Quantum Security Right Now
Falcon-based signatures are integrated into the Cellframe blockchain's code. We chose FALCON as one of the core algorithms for our multi-chain platform from the very beginning.
🛡️ The Cellframe protocol has built-in protection against quantum threats by default, which guarantees quantum security RIGHT NOW.
Want to learn more about post-quantum cryptography? Drop your questions in the comments! 👇
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