Hash-based and lattice-based signatures compared
Research context
theory comparison · conditional · As of 2026-10-10
SLH-DSA is a stateless hash-based signature design, while ML-DSA uses module-lattice structure.
Key knowledge
SLH-DSA is a stateless hash-based signature design, while ML-DSA uses module-lattice structure. Their assumption families, signature size, signing cost and parameter choices differ; SLH-DSA small/fast variants trade size against work. For example its 128s variant has a 32-byte public key and 7856-byte signature, compared with ML-DSA-44's 1312-byte public key and 2420-byte signature, at different categories. These figures support a resource comparison, not an identical-security ranking.
Conditions and scope
- Sizes refer to final FIPS parameter tables; SLH-DSA-128s category 1 and ML-DSA-44 category 2 are not the same security target.
- Hash-function properties, domain separation, secret-key handling and side channels remain assumptions for hash-based designs.
Sources · 2
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)2 sources
Evidence and review
Author checked this English statement, displayed equation where present and stated hypotheses against these source locations: Construction, security discussion and Table 2 small/fast parameter tradeoffs; §§3–5 ML-DSA/SIS-LWE assumptions, security categories, Table 2, hedged/deterministic and prehash/context distinctions. The check is bounded to the recorded claims; no complete proof reconstruction, software proof replay or universal literature completeness is claimed.
2026-10-10 · Author source-body/statement/equation/domain check, with graph associations scoped individually. Separate independent content/source/inventory review is required before branch closure.
Entry details
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