Primitive Limitations

Definition ∞ Primitive limitations refer to the inherent constraints or boundaries of fundamental cryptographic building blocks or computational operations. These limitations might concern computational efficiency, security assumptions, or the specific functionalities that a basic cryptographic primitive can achieve. Understanding these boundaries is essential for designing secure and practical protocols. Such constraints often guide the selection of appropriate cryptographic tools for specific applications.
Context ∞ Discussions about primitive limitations are common in academic cryptography and filter into crypto news when new security vulnerabilities or breakthroughs are reported. For example, the performance ceilings of hash functions or signature schemes can dictate the scalability of a blockchain. Researchers continuously work to overcome these limitations through new cryptographic designs, influencing the evolution of digital asset security.