How Does a Collision in a Hash Function Affect ECDSA Security?
A hash collision occurs when two different inputs produce the same hash output. If an attacker finds a collision, they could potentially replace a legitimate transaction with a malicious one that has the same hash.
Since the ECDSA signature is created on the hash, the valid signature for the legitimate transaction would also be valid for the malicious one. While collision resistance in modern functions like SHA-256 is extremely high, a successful collision attack would fundamentally break the non-repudiation guarantee of ECDSA.
Glossar
Hash Collision
Determinism ⎊ A hash collision, within cryptocurrency and financial derivatives, arises when distinct input data produce the same hash value, fundamentally challenging the deterministic nature of cryptographic functions.
Ecdsa
Signature ⎊ The Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) represents a widely adopted cryptographic protocol integral to securing transactions within cryptocurrency networks, options trading platforms, and financial derivatives systems.
Collision Attack
Vulnerability ⎊ A specific type of cryptographic flaw occurs when two distinct inputs produce the same output from a mathematical function.
Ecdsa Signature
Cryptography ⎊ The Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm relies on the mathematical properties of elliptic curves over finite fields to secure digital interactions.
Hash Function
Function ⎊ A hash function is a mathematical algorithm that takes an input of arbitrary size and produces a fixed-size output, known as a hash value or digest.