Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding and harnessing the principle of quantum entanglement, but this does not come without risks. Quantum cryptography expert Tim Callan, Senior Fellow at Sectigo, warns:

“In the very near future quantum computers already will force sweeping changes to our digital lives. Among other things, quantum computers stand to render valueless the existing cryptographic algorithms that underlie all computing systems including those for finance, communication, transportation, commerce, manufacturing, and logistics, a potential consequence so severe it is referred to as the Quantum Apocalypse.

To stave off the Quantum Apocalypse, industry, academics, and government are working together to test and roll out a whole new set of cryptographic standards that can serve our production needs without being vulnerable to quantum computing. These new algorithms need to be in place in the next few years, well before quantum entanglement-based computing stands any chance of becoming a reality.

Now, the candidates for these algorithms have been narrowed down from 69 to 15.

NIST has stated that they find the lattice-based approach to be favourable from a quantum resistance as well as performance aspect, but it is important to keep in mind that they are still leaving in diversity of approaches especially in their list of alternatives that will go on to the next round. As a CA, it is important to develop tool sets that will remain agile as new research developments unfold.

Narrowing the list of candidate algorithms to 15 is an important milestone towards the standardisation and adoption of quantum-safe encryption algorithms.  We have reached a point at which we can realistically begin implementing systems that utilise these algorithms. The process of updating our systems to utilise quantum safe encryption can now begin in earnest”.