First quantum-resistant cryptography standards make debut

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published the first three standards for quantum-safe cryptography. With more to follow, these standards will serve as a stepping stone to smoothly implement the new encryption methods into online applications, without the risk of disrupting current security safeguards.

Development of the cornerstones of the post-quantum cryptography era started in 2016, when the NIST challenged academia and industry all over the world to come up with quantum-resistant cryptography standards. Submissions were required to secure systems from attack from both quantum and classical computers and had to be compatible with existing communications protocols and networks.

Of the 82 proposals that were originally submitted, three have now made it to the final stage. These are called Crystals-Kyber, Crystals-Dilithium and Sphincs+. A fourth, called Falcon, is expected to be finalized later this year.

Dutch and Flemish organizations made plenty of contributions to the standards that have been published. The Sphincs+ team had several researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology and Radboud University on board. Designers of the Crystals methods included people from Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI), NXP, Leiden University and Radboud University.