How Does the Use of RIPEMD-160 Reduce the Risk of Quantum Computing Attacks?

The use of RIPEMD-160, a 160-bit hash function, does not inherently reduce the risk of quantum computing attacks compared to SHA-256. Quantum computers, utilizing Grover's algorithm, could potentially speed up preimage attacks on an N-bit hash from O(2^N) to O(2^(N/2)).

Therefore, a 160-bit hash is less secure than a 256-bit hash against a quantum preimage attack. The main protection is the exposure model (key is only revealed upon spending).

What Is the SHA-256 Algorithm?
What Is the Specific Output Length of a Bitcoin Address in Bits?
How Does Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) Protect against Preimage Attacks?
What Is a Second-Preimage Attack and How Does It Differ from a First-Preimage Attack?
What Is the Difference between a Preimage Attack and a Collision Attack?
How Does the “Difficulty Adjustment” in Bitcoin Mining Relate to the 256-Bit Hash Target?
What Does the “256-Bit” Refer to in SHA-256?
How Is a Second-Preimage Attack Different from a First-Preimage Attack?

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