MilestonePolicy & securityConfirmed
NIST picks the first four quantum-resistant encryption algorithms
Jul 5, 2022
After a six-year competition, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) selects CRYSTALS-Kyber for general encryption and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, FALCON and SPHINCS+ for digital signatures, all designed to withstand attacks from future quantum computers.
Why it matters
Large quantum computers could one day crack the encryption that protects online banking and email; these picks became the basis of NIST's first post-quantum standards in 2024.
Related
- NIST publishes the first post-quantum encryption standards (Aug 13, 2024)
Sources (2)
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NIST
NIST Announces First Four Quantum-Resistant Cryptographic Algorithms
“The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has chosen the first group of encryption tools that are designed to withstand the assault of a future quantum computer, which could potentially crack the security used to protect privacy in the digital systems we rely on every day — such as online banking and email software.”
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The Register
Actual quantum computers don't exist yet. The cryptography to defeat them may already be here
“The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recommended four cryptographic algorithms for standardization to ensure data can be protected as quantum computers become more capable of decryption.”
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