The NIST released its FIPS for post-quantum cryptography, a new set of standards that address the emerging security challenges posed by quantum computing.
Considering the AI driven attack keep emerging, the three new standards have been designed to ensure that digital communications remain secure against future threats while strengthening current cryptographic practices.
NIST started the process of establishing post-quantum encryption, also called post-quantum cryptography or PQC, standards in 2016, calling on cryptographers to devise encryption methods that could resist an attack from a future quantum computer.
As noted, when NIST preliminary chose four encryption tools as part of the process back in 2022, quantum computers, at least as they exist today, cannot crack high-level encryption but quantum computers will be able to crack those standards, hence the need to start creating new encryption standards now.
The requirement for new standards is critical, since the threat landscape is kept emerging, including the increasing role of AI to exploit and extract vulnerabilities. Strong cryptography plays a pivotal role in this landscape.
The three standards are as follows:
- FIPS 203, is derived from Kyber, a post-quantum cryptographic algorithm that was developed as part of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization project. The standard is used in key agreement protocols such as Transport Layer Security and replaces traditional methods with fast performance despite larger public keys and ciphertexts.
- FIPS 204, is based on Dilithium, a post-quantum cryptographic algorithm designed for digital signatures and intended to be used with digital signatures. The standard is said to outperform current methods in speed of verification with support for larger signatures and public keys.
- FIPS 205, is based on the security of SHA-2 or SHA-3 and offers robust security with very small public keys (32 bytes) but generates larger signatures of about 7 kilobytes. The standard is claimed to be ideal for applications like firmware updates, where quick verification is essential.
FIPS 203 and 204 standards were based on algorithms designed by IBM Corp., originally known as CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, in collaboration with industry and academic partners. The third, FIPS 205, was co-developed by a researcher who has since joined IBM.
Quantum security could be within reach this decade. IBM’s Quantum Development Roadmap includes plans to deliver its first error-corrected quantum system by 2029. The system is anticipated to run hundreds of millions of quantum operations to return accurate results for complex and valuable problems that are currently inaccessible to classical computers.
