Mithril is a stake-based signature protocol developed for the Cardano blockchain to improve the speed and efficiency of syncing nodes, especially in light client applications, without compromising security or decentralization. Mithril is designed to make it easier for users to access and interact with the Cardano network by enabling faster bootstrapping of nodes while maintaining…

Bitcoin Ordinals is a protocol that allows users to assign unique identifiers to individual satoshis (the smallest unit of Bitcoin) and attach digital content, such as images, text, or videos, to them. This process is called inscription, and it enables non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other types of digital assets to be created and traded directly…

A Verifiable Random Function (VRF) is a cryptographic tool used in Cardano to ensure fairness and security in the process of selecting slot leaders within the network’s Ouroboros Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. VRFs generate a random and verifiable output that helps Cardano choose which stake pool will produce the next block, ensuring that the selection…

In mathematics, factoring (or factorization) refers to the process of breaking down a mathematical object, such as a number or a polynomial, into a product of smaller or simpler objects, called factors, that when multiplied together yield the original object. Factoring of Numbers For integers, factoring refers to expressing a number as the product of…

RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) is one of the most widely used public-key cryptosystems, primarily for secure data transmission. It is based on the mathematical difficulty of factoring the product of two large prime numbers, which is the foundation of its security. RSA is used for both encryption and digital signatures, and its security comes from the computational…

Permissioned and Permissionless systems are two types of blockchain architectures that determine how participants can access, interact with, and contribute to the network. The key difference lies in who is allowed to participate and how control is managed across the network. Permissioned Blockchain Systems A permissioned blockchain restricts participation to a predefined group of entities.…

Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) is a concept in digital identity management that allows individuals or entities to have full control and ownership over their personal data and digital identities without relying on a centralized authority. With SSI, individuals can manage their identity independently, securely store personal data, and selectively share only the necessary information with third…

A vote-based consensus method is a type of consensus algorithm used in distributed systems or blockchains, where nodes in the network participate by voting to agree on a common decision. Each node has a “vote” that it casts in favor of a particular block or transaction, and the network reaches consensus when a certain number…

Non-repudiation is a security principle that ensures that a person or entity cannot deny the authenticity of their signature, message, or action after it has been completed. In the context of digital communication, non-repudiation means that once someone has signed or sent a message, they cannot later claim that they did not do so. Non-repudiation…

A hash function is a mathematical algorithm that takes an input (or “message”) and returns a fixed-size string of characters, which is typically a hash value or digest (output). The output is a unique representation of the input data. You can think of a hash digest like a fingerprint. Just as every person’s fingerprint is…