Quantum-Resistant Cryptography

TL;DR

This paper provides an overview of quantum-resistant cryptography, discussing its importance, the impact of quantum algorithms, the current NIST standardization efforts, and the potential for quantum-safe cryptographic solutions.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive survey of quantum-resistant cryptography, including security models, quantum algorithms, and the ongoing standardization process by NIST.

Findings

NIST is close to standardizing post-quantum cryptography algorithms.

Quantum algorithms pose significant risks to classical cryptography.

Quantum key distribution and random number generators are relevant complements.

Abstract

Quantum-resistant cryptography is cryptography that aims to deliver cryptographic functions and protocols that remain secure even if large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computers are built. NIST will soon announce the first selected public-key cryptography algorithms in its Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standardization which is the most important current effort in the field of quantum-resistant cryptography. This report provides an overview to security experts who do not yet have a deep understanding of quantum-resistant cryptography. It surveys the computational model of quantum computers; the quantum algorithms that affect cryptography the most; the risk of Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers (CRQCs) being built; the security of symmetric and public-key cryptography in the presence of CRQCs; the NIST PQC standardization effort; the migration to quantum-resistant public-key cryptography; the relevance of Quantum Key Distribution as a complement to conventional cryptography; and the relevance of Quantum Random Number Generators as a complement to current hardware Random Number Generators.