Update On NIST’S Post-Quantum Cryptography Requirements

After a great discussion in Japan at the 7th Annual Post-Quantum Crypto Conference (PQCrypto 2016) back in February, NIST has taken the next step and announced they are seeking additional input and comments on their draft proposal for “Post-Quantum Cryptography: Proposed Requirements and Evaluation Criteria”.

“The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a Federal Register Notice requesting comments on a proposed process to solicit, evaluate, and standardize one or more quantum-resistant public-key cryptographic algorithms. Current algorithms are vulnerable to attacks from large-scale quantum computers.

The purpose of the notice is to solicit comments on the draft minimum acceptability requirements, submission requirements, evaluation criteria, and evaluation process of candidate algorithms from the public, the cryptographic community, academic/research communities, manufacturers, voluntary standards organizations, and Federal, state, and local government organizations so that their needs can be considered in the process of developing new public-key cryptography standards.”

All comments are due on September 16, 2016

For additional Post-Quantum crypto insight you can view all the presentations as well as the open forum speaking panel from the PQCrypto 2016 conference. The topic of “NIST’s Plan for the Future” – featuring Dustin Moody, Ray Perlner, and Daniel Smith-Tone provides additional information as panel members field questions from the audience, including questions specific to FIPS 140-2.

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