Cryptography
Ongoing coverage on Cryptography.
Latest coverage
Checkpoint’s Queer Game of the Month: September 2026 – Locktale
Locktale, a cipher-based puzzle game developed by Mina Pecheux, is highlighted as September's Queer Game of the Month. The game features a hidden story about two women and uses a tiered hint system to make its ciphers accessible. Pecheux discusses her approach to queer representation, aiming to normalize LGBTQ+ relationships within game narratives.
A Crypto 2026 paper quietly deletes the randomness beacon permissionless consensus leaned on
A cryptography paper accepted to Crypto 2026 proposes removing the need for a randomness beacon in permissionless consensus protocols. The research, authored by Damiano Abram, Marshall Ball, Juan Garay, and Aggelos Kiayias, replaces the beacon with d-wise independent distributed samplers and relies on assumptions like decisional Diffie-Hellman and learning with errors. While the paper offers a theoretical advancement, it does not provide concrete performance metrics or comparisons to live networks like Bitcoin, and the full manuscript remains embargoed until August 20.
Revealing False Echo, a Cryptographic Thriller Where Truth is a Weapon
Independent developer Retromagine has revealed False Echo, a narrative cryptography thriller set on a military submarine in an alternate history. Players will decode messages and classify information using the OBSCURA machine, making decisions that influence the branching narrative and multiple endings. The game, inspired by titles like Papers, Please, is set to release on PC and is currently available to wishlist on Steam.
False Echo, an Alternate-History Cryptography Thriller, Announced for PC
False Echo, a 2D pixel-art cryptographic narrative adventure inspired by Papers, Please, has been announced for PC. Set aboard a WWII submarine, players will manage communications using the Obscura machine, discerning truth from falsehood to make critical decisions with multiple endings based on player choices.
Microsoft says 'cryptographically relevant quantum computers could arrive sooner than previously expected' as…
Microsoft is accelerating its Quantum Safe Program, now targeting 2029 for readiness against cryptanalytic attacks from quantum computers, which are expected to arrive sooner than previously anticipated. The company emphasizes the need for organizations to prepare for future cryptographic threats, including the 'harvest now, decrypt later' method, and is working on broader resilience efforts beyond just cryptography.
A renowned New York Times investigative reporter thinks British cryptographer is Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, said…
An investigative report from the New York Times suggests that British cryptographer Adam Back is the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. The report cites linguistic analysis, shared terminology, and the timing of Back's involvement in cryptography. However, Adam Back has publicly denied these claims, attributing the similarities to shared interests and coincidences within the cryptography community.
Google says quantum computing will crack bitcoin cryptography sooner than expected, estimating a 10% chance of…
Google researchers predict that quantum computers could crack the cryptography protecting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies much sooner than previously estimated, potentially by 2032. A quantum computer with fewer than 500,000 qubits could be sufficient, a significant reduction from earlier projections. This poses a substantial threat to public-key cryptography, particularly for cryptocurrencies which offer less recourse against fraudulent transactions.
Google says it's preparing for the quantum apocalypse, when traditional encryption methods are broken by quantum computers, by 2029—which is much sooner than originally expected
Google is preparing for a 'quantum apocalypse' by 2029, a timeframe when quantum computers are expected to break current encryption methods. The company aims to migrate to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and encourages the tech industry to follow suit. This proactive approach addresses concerns about data security in the face of advancing quantum computing capabilities.
