Developments in Quantum Resistant Cryptographic Systems

In the past week or so there have been several interesting developments in quantum science and quantum resistant cryptography. The Biden administration has issued this fact sheet summarizing its activities

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-two-presidential-directives-advancing-quantum-technologies/

and more specifically, National Security Memorandum 10 on implementation of quantum resistant cryptographic systems. It is expected that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be making some additional announcements in the near future as it continues its work in selecting quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms. See

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/04/national-security-memorandum-on-promoting-united-states-leadership-in-quantum-computing-while-mitigating-risks-to-vulnerable-cryptographic-systems/

Also of interest is a very recent Nature paper dealing with closely related topics

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04623-2

Finally, while on this topic, I want to share a pointer to the really excellent book by Chris Hoofnagle and Simpson Garfinkel, “Law and Policy for the Quantum Age” from Cambridge University Press. This is also (courtesy of the UC Berkeley Library open access funding) available as a free download. (Full disclosure: I’m an Adjunct Professor at the Berkeley School of Information, and Chris is a valued colleague). See

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/law-and-policy-for-the-quantum-age/026A5CE2FE7FE277B94DA01A519B2DAD

Interestingly, I’d say that this book is considerably more skeptical about the near-term threat that quantum computing offers for existing cryptographic systems that some other sources.

Clifford Lynch
Director, CNI