Security & verification

Device-wallet protection

The saved wallet is encrypted with AES-GCM and a password-derived key using PBKDF2 with 250,000 iterations. Quantus signatures use the local account’s configured scheme. Recovery backups restore access after losing the browser copy.

Local encryption cannot protect against every compromised device, extension or phishing page. Auto-lock closes signing access after inactivity, but an unlocked session still depends on browser and device security.

Wallet and permit signatures

The default Quantus wallet uses ML-DSA-87; supported restoration settings also include ML-DSA-65. Account derivation and transaction signing use the Quantus wallet SDK and address format. Advanced settings must match when restoring an existing account.

Wallet transaction signatures and inscription permits have different roles. The wallet authorizes the QTC transaction using its Quantus signing scheme. The collection authority currently signs inscription permits with Ed25519. QTARDS does not claim that every part of its application protocol is post-quantum secure just because the wallet uses ML-DSA.

Separate permissions

• Login signs an expiring, origin-bound authentication challenge and cannot spend QTC.
• Worker access authorizes jobs and proofs, not wallet signatures.
• Listing and cancellation use a separate market-message signing context.
• Mint, purchase and NFT transfer each require separate signatures for their reviewed calls.
• Recovery phrases and spending keys are not passed to the mining worker.

What you can verify

• Compare the restored address with your original backup.
• Read token, owner, recipient and amount before signing.
• Check finalized execution evidence rather than submission labels or animations.
• Inspect content-addressed metadata and its committed digest.
• Read the seller’s signed listing authorization.
• Check timestamped availability and finalized trading records.

Trust boundaries

QTARDS uses a collection authority and application ownership registry. Quantus records transactions and remarks but does not natively enforce token ownership, registry transitions or one-time permit use. It is not a native NFT pallet or trustless exchange contract.

Allocation is shuffled but visible to operators, not trustless randomness. Network statistics estimate work and count addresses, not people. Content commitments identify bytes, while pins and retrieval services affect availability.

A complete independent ownership reconstruction indexer is not implemented. Signed permits, chain records and the maintained registry matter for continuity. Consider these limitations before minting or trading.

When something looks wrong

Stop before signing if the address, amount or action differs from your intent. A public wallet address, token ID, claim/purchase reference and receipt can identify a support case without exposing secrets.