The National Institute of Standards and Technologies of the USA (NIST) has approved three new encryption standards aimed at protecting information from threats posed by the development of quantum computers.
These standards were developed as part of the post-quantum cryptography project (PQC) and are now ready for use.
The new encryption standards include:
- FIPS 203: based on the algorithm Crystals-Kyber (ML-Kem). This standard is designed for general data encryption, key exchange, and is known for its high speed and compact key size.
- FIPS 204: utilizes the algorithm Crystals-Dilithium (ML-DSA) and is focused on protecting digital signatures to ensure secure authentication.
- FIPS 205: based on the algorithm SPHINCS+ (SLH-DSA), is a reserve standard for digital signatures that relies on a different set of mathematical problems, making it an alternative to FIPS 204.
- FIPS 206, which is based on the algorithm Falcon (FN-DSA), is scheduled for release at the end of 2024.
These standards are specifically designed to safeguard information in environments where quantum computers could potentially breach existing encryption methods. They are built on mathematical problems that are challenging for both classical and quantum computers to solve. NIST advises organizations to begin integrating these standards into their current security systems as the full implementation process may require significant time.