nist
Today's world relies on many protections, even if you don't notice it. Everything that people interact with on a regular basis, from mobile phones and smart technology to, from payment transactions to urban infrastructure, is protected by protection and inspection technology. The ability of quantum computers to quickly and easily break these protections is a key reason why ** and regulators have been taking action for years to prepare new quantum safety algorithms that will be updated to maintain these ongoing protections. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently published a first draft of their standard to support the transition to a quantum-secure cryptographic future. These new encryption algorithms will be part of future regulations that organizations must meet to comply with FIPS standards and quantum security. Here are 3 key takeaways from this announcement:
Algorithm. Candidate algorithms with well-known names chosen by the submitter will be assigned a regulatory name by NIST - specifically:
a. kem - crystals-kyber becomes --fips 203 module-lattice-based key-encapsulation mechanism standard (ml-kem)
b. signature - crystals-dilithium becomes --fips 204 module-lattice based digital signature standard (ml-dsa)
c. signature --sphincs+ becomes --fips 205 stateless hash-based digital signature standard (slh-dsa)
Note that the announcement currently contains only 3 candidate algorithms and promises to include a 4th digital signature algorithm in the near future.
The current draft standard makes adjustments to the submitted algorithm and fixes the various parameters, which means that any implementation based on the originally submitted reference algorithm will not be compatible with the new standard. This is "as expected" and follows NIST's long-term pattern. The public comment period is also more likely to result in further adjustments to these criteria. The NIST comment period is 90 days and the deadline for submission is 22 November 2023. Assuming this timeline is preserved, we can see a formal standard as early as the first half of 2024.
The need to act now.
NIST emphasized that organizations should take immediate action to prepare for quantum computing attacks. With tech giants racing to build quantum computers, and huge amounts of money being invested at both the private and public levels, there's no doubt that commercially viable quantum computers may soon be happening. While these machines may not be deployed for typical use cases in the short term, their ability to be used by cyber threat actors is just as real.
Many cyber threat actors are already stealing and collecting data to put it aside until they are able to crack the current encryption algorithms using a quantum computer that is strong enough. This is especially true for any data that has a long confidentiality period. Dubbed "harvest now, decrypt later," this strategy has prompted regulators such as NIST to begin working on tried-and-true standards as soon as possible to counteract this threat.
The adage "The best defense is the best offense" is associated with many real-life scenarios, including preparing for a post-quantum computer. NIST helps organizations prepare for the advent of post-quantum computing by formalizing a set of cryptographic and digital signature algorithms, which will help combat quantum computer attacks. No one can be 100% sure when a post-quantum computer with enough performance will be available to provide an attack. However, it makes sense to be prepared now, because when that day happens, there is little time to react.
However, the most important reason for organizations to take immediate action on threats that are not yet emerging is that most data centers can't easily adapt their encryption technology. A number of different ** and regulatory bodies have instructed organizations to take immediate inventory of their crypto assets and establish an assessment of the risks of post-quantum computing. The idea is to understand your vulnerabilities and fill in any gaps in your cybersecurity strategy related to symmetric key lengths or asymmetric encryption algorithms. Importantly, all of this takes a lot of time.
The importance of crypto flexibility.
NIST also affirmed the critical nature of crypto flexibility. Organizing your keys and encryption technology into one central location helps simplify and organize the data center, but it helps ensure one's ability to remain cryptographically agile. Crypto-agile is an increasingly popular strategy that helps data centers and organizations be prepared to react to any changes that may need to occur. Changes may need to be made to counter the threat of quantum computers, or it may be something else entirely. At its core, cryptographic flexibility is flexibility, adaptability, and no built-in obsolescence capabilities.
The proposed NIST algorithm has been open to the public for several years. By building cryptographically agile systems, organizations can easily experiment and test these new algorithms before finalizing or updating compliance regulations. For organizations that have programmable elements built into their networks, it will be simple to replace the classic algorithm with the newly approved NIST algorithm. Well-prepared organizations have little to no impact from traditional computing to these next-generation cryptographic algorithms.
There are many considerations that must be considered when changing cryptographic algorithms, including interoperability, performance, memory constraints, and availability. Start early to ensure that you have tested the affected use cases, which will be an important factor in ensuring that no gaps are missed. It's also important to understand and address your secure data use cases, including data at rest, data in use, and data in motion.
Thales currently has data security solutions that support all the algorithms proposed by NIST. We have developed various prototypes that allow users to start the testing process immediately, rather than waiting until a "zero-day" event for a commercial quantum computer. It is prudent and forward-looking to begin the preparatory process now, including the addition of programmable cryptographic elements, rather than waiting for the inevitable regulation that requires these new algorithms. With careful planning, migration can be simplified and cost-effective.
At Thales, we've been advocating for crypto flexibility for years. We've been working hard to ensure that crypto flexibility is built into all of our products. Whether you're looking for the right quantum-safe solution for you in dynamic data or taking a break, Thales has the solution to help today.
About Thales:
The people you rely on to protect your privacy rely on Thales to protect their data. When it comes to data security, organizations are facing more and more decisive moments. Whether you're developing an encryption strategy, moving to the cloud, or meeting compliance requirements, you can rely on Thales to ensure your digital transformation.
About Anze. SafePloy has been engaged in the information security business for more than 20 years, and is a strategic partner of Thales (formerly Imperva, Gemalto, Vormetric, SafeNet, Aladdin, Rainbow) and other companies in China. and compliant data security policies.