(September 13, 2023) Last year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) selected four algorithms designed to withstand attack by quantum computers. Now the agency has begun the process of standardizing these algorithms — the final step before making these mathematical tools available so that organizations around the world can integrate them into their encryption infrastructure.
On August 24th, NIST released draft standards for three of the four algorithms it selected in 2022. A draft standard for FALCON, the fourth algorithm, will be released in about a year.
NIST is calling on the worldwide cryptographic community to provide feedback on the draft standards until Nov. 22, 2023.
These proposed standards specify key establishment and digital signature schemes that are designed to resist future attacks by quantum computers, which threaten the security of current standards. The three algorithms specified in these standards are each derived from different submissions to the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project; more information at https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/post-quantum-cryptography.
To learn more about process to develop quantum-resistant algorithms and draft FIPS standards, check out the NIST post at https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2023/08/nist-standardize-encryption-algorithms-can-resist-attack-quantum-computers.
To comment on the three Draft FIPS for Post-Quantum Cryptography, visit the request for comments page at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/08/24/2023-18197/request-for-comments-on-draft-fips-203-draft-fips-204-and-draft-fips-205.