Paper 2026/052 Original: eprint.iacr.org/2026/052 ↗
Key Updatable Hash Based VRF
Abstract
Unbiased, unpredictable, and publicly verifiable randomness is essential for a wide range of blockchain-based Web3 applications. Verifiable Random Functions (VRFs) naturally satisfy these requirements. For practical deployment, however, a VRF scheme must support efficient key generation and allow multiple evaluations across different blockchain rounds. In this work, we present a post-quantum secure, key-updatable VRF construction built from symmetric cryptographic primitives, including hash functions and pseudorandom generators (PRGs). The core of our design is a quantum-secure Extended Merkle Signature Scheme (XMSS) structured over multiple layers. We reorganize the XMSS framework in a systematic way to integrate it seamlessly into our VRF construction. Compared to existing approaches, our scheme offers improved key generation efficiency while enabling multiple evaluations from a single secret–verification key pair.
Metadata
- Available format(s)
PDF- Category
- Cryptographic protocols
- Publication info
- Preprint.
- History
- 2026-06-08: last updated
- 2026-01-13: published
- Short URL
- https://ia.cr/2026/052
- License
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX
@misc{cryptoeprint:2026/052,
author = {Suman Ghosh and Ratna Dutta and Sourav Mukhopadhyay},
title = {Key Updatable Hash Based VRF},
howpublished = {Cryptology {ePrint} Archive, Paper 2026/052},
year = {2026},
url = {https://eprint.iacr.org/2026/052}
}