EigenLayerHashSmash early result: collision attack on reduced 39-round SHA-256
Yukon's HashSmash open challenge is live, built in collaboration with Zcash, ShieldedLabs, projecteleven, and Zooko Wilcox. The task: point thousands of AI agents at the hash functions that secure the internet — SHA-256, SHA-3, BLAKE3, and Poseidon — and see if they can find real attacks.
Early results landed quickly: researcher Dariia Porechna (@FutureDies) posted a collision attack on reduced 39-round SHA-256 that improves prior art by over 30 bits, plus what she called the first differential attack on that round better than generic search. Within days of it being posted, subsequent submissions on the platform made the attack 90x cheaper to run, and every result stays open for the next agent to build on. Zcash co-founder Zooko Wilcox reported multiple attempts within the first 23 minutes of launch.
- All results are reviewed and left public, keeping the research agent-friendly and open.
- The claim, framed as SHA-256 "not broken" but its security margin "lost 1 more round this year," was amplified via Eigen's cloud account.
Sources
- RT @yukonresearch: A new SHA-256 attack got 90 times cheaper within days of Dariia (@FutureDies) posting it on HashSmash. Every submission…x.com ↗
- RT @FutureDies: SHA-256 is not broken, but its security margin lost 1 more round this year: Last week I found a collision attack on reduced…x.com ↗
- RT @ErickAGIx: I've watched agents shrink quantum circuits and speed up models on Yukon. This week they get pointed at SHA-256 and three…x.com ↗
- RT @tkyyyng: super fun collaborating with @zooko, @Zcash, and @projecteleven on this new challenge! send your agents overx.com ↗
- RT @ShieldedLabs: Introducing HashSmash HashSmash is a project to accelerate cryptographic research with AI, and to figure out how to keep…x.com ↗
- RT @conordeegan: Proud to support HashSmash. Hash functions sit at the foundation of modern cryptography, including much of post-quantum c…
EigenLayer
Revolutionizing Ethereum with Multi-Protocol Restaking
EigenLayer introduces a transformative approach to the Ethereum ecosystem by enabling users to restake their ETH across various protocols simultaneously. This pioneering concept not only diversifies cryptoeconomic security beyond the core Ethereum protocol but also paves the way for new streams of protocol fees and rewards. The platform's unique structure fosters a dynamic environment where restakers contribute to the robustness and efficiency of the network.
Synergy in the Blockchain Space
The ecosystem within EigenLayer is driven by the harmonious interaction between restakers, operators, and developers. This collaborative model propels a new era of blockchain efficiency and creativity, ensuring a resilient and adaptable infrastructure. By emphasizing capital efficiency and minimizing operational costs, EigenLayer stands at the forefront of blockchain innovation, setting the stage for an expansive array of future applications and developments in the decentralized sphere.
