Add jeffro256 full time dev 2025Q1

What

The last quarter I implemented the core cryptography for Carrot. I will note that preliminary performance tests put Carrot scanning at about 30% faster on CPU usage versus scanning today, mostly thanks to the use of the X25519 ECDH library mx25519. I also implemented pruned cryptonote::transaction construction and scanning for Carrot. The FCMP++ integration and Carrot integration are finally meeting ends and are almost ready for hot path integration. This next quarter, I want to continue this work to get a testnet out ASAP.

To recap, here is a list of things I will attempt to work on this quarter, in rough order of execution:

• Integrate Carrot scanning/transaction construction into main wallet codepaths
• Provide support to existing hardware wallet manufacturors on how to securely support Carrot outputs
• Use benchmarkings and static analysis to inform MRL decisions on transaction weight discussions etc
• Begin soliciting Carrot core implementation audits
• Provide Rust implementation of Carrot for Serai/Cuprate
• Solicit help for multisig implementations of Carrot
• Help out with the FCMP++ integration wherever I can

Who

I have been contributing to the Monero core repository for over two years with a total of 84 merged commits to master thus far, with many open PRs. Over the last few months, I wrote up the Carrot specification, organized []auditing](https://github.com/cypherstack/carrot-audit), for which the community graciously funded, and began implementing it. Carrot will be the main supported addressing protocol post-FCMP++ if all goes according to plan. I also worked on the Seraphis migration project in 2023/2024.

Previous Proposals:

• !319 (merged)
• !390 (merged)
• !421 (merged)
• !436 (merged)
• !467 (merged)
• !504 (merged)

Payment

I propose to work for 3 months at a rate of 38 XMR per month.

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• 7f2c5a0d - Add jeffro256 full time dev 2025Q1

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mentioned in commit fd814e9d

merged

I have sent 38 XMR to this proposal from the General Fund in transaction 85d89abfdd42278b7653168162b7a2384ef26b0f3cfeeb30088ca2beef723869.

Milestone Update 1: January 2025

WIP branches

• https://github.com/jeffro256/monero/tree/carrot_core
• https://github.com/jeffro256/monero/tree/carrot_impl
• https://github.com/seraphis-migration/monero/tree/fcmp%2B%2B-stage

Monero Core PRs

• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9717
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9718
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9739
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9740
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9751
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9760
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9804
• https://github.com/monero-project/monero/pull/9805

Carrot/FCMP++ integration work

I created the fcmp++-stage development branch and have started to merge codepaths between Carrot and FCMP++. The biggest milestone here was creating FCMP++ spend authorization & linkability (SA/L) proofs on outputs created in Carrot transactions. You can see the testcases here: https://github.com/seraphis-migration/monero/blob/7dbc0e9f240f86b1dce55a3fff65534048356657/tests/unit_tests/carrot_impl.cpp#L534. Specifically for the SA/L proof creation, see this line: https://github.com/seraphis-migration/monero/blob/7dbc0e9f240f86b1dce55a3fff65534048356657/tests/unit_tests/carrot_impl.cpp#L670. The carrot_impl branch also now contains almost full transaction generation code, from input selection, to fee carving, to proof generation, to transaction serialization.

Review / debugging work

I spent a lot of time reviewing / debugging the upcoming release v0.18.4.0 build. I would like to post more details about this for transparency, but some of it involves vulnerability work, so I will hold off for now. I plan to publish reports about this eventually.