Hash vs Lattice Cryptography: Hoskinson’s Take
Charles Hoskinson highlights hash functions and lattice-based cryptography in post-quantum context
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson recently pointed to a core distinction in modern cryptography—hashing versus encryption—while placing the discussion in the context of post-quantum security and the industry’s ongoing migration toward new standards.
The conversation comes as the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has begun standardising algorithms designed to remain secure even if large-scale quantum computers become practical. Among the first selected were CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, two lattice-based schemes that are widely discussed as candidates for post-quantum key establishment and digital signatures.
Hoskinson’s framing also touched on foundational security choices that determine how systems are built and audited—particularly around sensitive data handling, password storage, and what it means to design for long-term resilience.
Hashing and encryption serve different purposes. Hashing is typically used to create a fixed-length “fingerprint” of data, while encryption is used to keep information confidential and recoverable by authorised parties. The distinction matters in practice: for example, password storage relies on hashing rather than encryption, because systems should verify a password without having to recover the original value.
On post-quantum cryptography, the NIST selections underscore a broader shift: security teams are increasingly expected to plan for cryptographic upgrades in advance, since changes to key exchange, signatures, and storage mechanisms can be complex and slow to roll out across large networks.
The raw discussion also referenced other cryptographic approaches, including Rainbow (an “Unbalanced Oil and Vinegar” scheme), which is based on the difficulty of solving systems of multivariate equations. Mentioning different families of schemes highlights that post-quantum research spans multiple mathematical foundations, with standardisation aiming to identify approaches that can be widely implemented and reviewed.
Beyond the technical details, the topic carries an ethical dimension: cryptographic choices influence user privacy, the safety of stored credentials, and how responsibly organisations handle sensitive data—especially as new computational capabilities change the assumptions that security systems rely on.
