Post-Quantum Selected for NIST’s National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Quantum Migration Project
02 Julio 2024 - 3:00AM
Business Wire
Consortium designed to ease migration from the
current set of public-key cryptographic algorithms
Post-Quantum is one of the very few
organisations that can provide operational quantum-safe solutions
today
‘Harvest Now Decrypt Later’ (HNDL) attacks currently represent
the world’s greatest existential cybersecurity threats. These
attacks see hostile actors steal encrypted data now, which can be
decrypted once a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC)
emerges.
This makes it critical to begin the process of replacing
hardware, software, and services that use public-key algorithms
now, so that the information is protected from both HNDL and,
eventually, future quantum attacks.
It is for this reason that the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) established a consortium of organisations as
part of its National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE)
“Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)” project. Today,
Post-Quantum, the oldest specialist PQC firm in the world, has been
selected to be a part of the project, supporting it in developing
tangible PQC implementations and use cases.
The NCCoE project brings together experts from industry,
government, and academia to address the real-world needs of
securing complex IT systems and protecting the nation’s critical
infrastructure. Participants include Palo Alto Networks, Amazon Web
Services (AWS), Cisco, Microsoft and VMWare as well as other
vendors who are sharing their expertise in planning for and
implementing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms.
Post-Quantum’s selection will see the company playing a central
role in:
- Ensuring smooth transition and deployment of VPN that will
protect us from HNDL attacks
- Ensuring that backward compatibility is supported
- Testing different PQC algorithm configurations in hybrid
arrangement, not only in those standardised by NIST, but also other
PQC algorithms.
- Providing in particular unique implementation know-how in
securing edge to mobile end-points.
Andersen Cheng, Executive Chairman, Post-Quantum
commented: “Our priority over the last few years has been on
accelerating real-world implementations. For example, last year a
new standard that we authored for a hybrid quantum-safe Virtual
Private Networks (VPN) was ratified by the Internet Engineering
Task Force (IETF). This new standard is now the glue that allows
parties using different post-quantum key establishment algorithms
to talk with one another, which is particularly important as we
enter a situation where different nation states deploy a variety of
different algorithms. We are looking forward to sharing
implementation knowledge of our protocol and unique know-how in
securing mobile end points with partners such as Palo Alto,
Microsoft, and AWS, to accomplish an end-to-end secure quantum
migration.”
Post-Quantum is the first company to be founded with the sole
focus on PQC. Working in high-grade cybersecurity and encryption
innovation, the company works for various secure areas of banks,
defence organisations, and governments. As a first mover in the
industry, Post-Quantum is one of the very few organisations which
has progressed past the R&D stage and can provide operational
quantum-safe solutions today. It has designed and built a range of
quantum-safe products like VPNs and Identity Systems, which have
been deployed by organisations like NATO.
For more information about Post-Quantum, please visit:
https://post-quantum.com/index.html
About Post-Quantum
Post-Quantum is upgrading the world to next-generation
encryption. Our quantum-safe platform includes modular software for
Identity, Transmission and Encryption that protect organisations
across their entire digital footprint. Products are interoperable,
backward compatible and crypto-agile - ensuring a smooth transition
to the next generation of encryption.
Post-Quantum works with organisations in defence, critical
national infrastructure and financial services, including a
multi-year relationship with NATO to ensure its communications are
secure against quantum attack.
The company is the inventor of NTS-KEM, a code-based
post-quantum algorithm. Now known as Classic McEliece following the
merger with the submission led by Professor Daniel Bernstein, it is
currently in round four of the NIST competition. The company is
also the original author of the Internet Engineering Taskforce
(IETF) standards for a Hybrid Post-Quantum Virtual Private
Network.
As IETF defines how the internet functions, it is critical that
more and more of the components will become quantum-safe in due
course. The Company is proactively working on and proposing several
new standards to IETF which will help shape how the internet will
operate in a post-quantum world.
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Clementine Croton Ccroton@fireoth.com