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NIST Finalizes PQC Standards: The Deprecation of RSA/ECC is Coming

After a multi-year global competition, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced its first suite of standardized post-quantum cryptographic algorithms. This marks the most significant milestone to date in the global transition to a quantum-resistant security infrastructure and serves as the official starting gun for the deprecation of classical algorithms like RSA and ECC.

The First PQC Standards

The initial set of algorithms chosen for standardization includes:

  • CRYSTALS-Kyber: Chosen for general encryption and key establishment, this algorithm is noted for its small key sizes and speed.
  • CRYSTALS-Dilithium, FALCON, and SPHINCS+: Chosen for digital signatures. These algorithms offer a range of trade-offs between signature size and performance to suit different use cases.

The Mandate for Migration

With these standards now in place, the path forward is clear. Government agencies and contractors will soon be mandated to transition to these new standards. For the private sector, this provides a clear and vetted roadmap for securing data against the quantum threat. The question is no longer "if" organizations need to migrate, but "how quickly" they can do so. A crypto-agile approach, supported by solutions like those from BetelSec, is essential for a smooth and secure transition.

Sources

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