Blockchain Cryptography Fundamentals Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Blockchain Cryptography Fundamentals flashcards as text
In a Merkle Patricia Trie (used in Ethereum), what is stored at the root node that makes state verification efficient?
Answer: A cryptographic hash representing the entire state of the trie
The root hash of a Merkle Patricia Trie cryptographically commits to the entire state, allowing any state element to be verified with a compact proof path.
What is the purpose of the RIPEMD-160 hash in Bitcoin address generation?
Answer: To shorten the SHA-256 hash of a public key into a 160-bit address
Bitcoin applies SHA-256 followed by RIPEMD-160 to a public key, producing a 160-bit hash that forms the core of a Bitcoin address, saving space.
Which attack model assumes the adversary can request signatures on arbitrary messages but cannot choose the message after seeing the signature?
Answer: Chosen-message attack
In a chosen-message attack, the adversary selects messages to be signed before seeing any signatures, testing if forging new signatures is possible.
A zero-knowledge proof allows a prover to convince a verifier of a statement's truth without revealing:
Answer: Any information beyond the validity of the statement itself
Zero-knowledge proofs allow the prover to demonstrate knowledge of a secret (e.g., a private key) without disclosing any information about the secret itself.
In HD (Hierarchical Deterministic) wallets defined by BIP-32, child private keys are derived using HMAC-SHA512 applied to:
Answer: The parent public key (or private key) and a chain code
BIP-32 child key derivation uses HMAC-SHA512 with the parent key material and chain code as inputs, producing a deterministic child key and new chain code.
Which of the following describes a length extension attack and which hash construction is vulnerable to it?
Answer: Forging a valid hash by appending data; SHA-2 Merkle-Damgård constructions are vulnerable
Length extension attacks exploit Merkle-Damgård construction internals (used by SHA-256) to compute H(key||message||extension) without knowing the key.
What does the 'binding' property of a cryptographic commitment scheme guarantee?
Answer: The committer cannot change the committed value after publishing the commitment
Binding ensures that once a commitment is published, the committer is bound to a specific value and cannot later open the commitment to a different value.