IBM announced two of its algorithms were formalized as part of the world's first post-quantum cryptography standards, announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
These standards are crucial for safeguarding encrypted data from potential threats posed by the advent of quantum computers.
As quantum computing progresses, the importance of robust post-quantum cryptography becomes ever more critical. NIST's newly published standards, which are now the blueprint for governments and industries globally, are designed to protect data exchanged over public networks and secure digital signatures for identity authentication.
The new standards feature three post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, two of which—ML-KEM (previously known as CRYSTALS-Kyber) and ML-DSA (formerly CRYSTALS-Dilithium)—were developed by IBM researchers in collaboration with industry and academic partners. The third algorithm, SLH-DSA (initially submitted as SPHINCS+), was co-developed by a researcher who has since joined IBM. And, a fourth IBM algorithm, FN-DSA (originally FALCON), is set for future standardization.
As quantum computers are advancing rapidly toward cryptographic relevancy, they have the potential to break current encryption methods, such as RSA, which have long been the backbone of data protection worldwide.
IBM said it anticipates delivering its first error-corrected quantum system by 2029, capable of handling hundreds of millions of quantum operations. By 2033, IBM aims to expand this capacity to over a billion quantum operations, opening up new possibilities in fields like healthcare, finance, and logistics.
"IBM's mission in quantum computing is two-fold: to bring useful quantum computing to the world and to make the world quantum-safe. We are excited about the incredible progress we have made with today's quantum computers, which are being used across global industries to explore problems as we push towards fully error-corrected systems," said Jay Gambetta, Vice President, IBM Quantum. "However, we understand these advancements could herald an upheaval in the security of our most sensitive data and systems. NIST's publication of the world's first three post-quantum cryptography standards marks a significant step in efforts to build a quantum-safe future alongside quantum computing."
IBM continues to integrate post-quantum cryptography into its products, such as IBM z16 and IBM Cloud. The company also introduced its Quantum Safe roadmap in 2023, outlining a three-phase strategy to advance quantum-safe technology. This includes the Cryptography Bill of Materials (CBOM), a new standard for managing cryptographic assets in software and systems, further solidifying IBM's role in leading the world toward a secure, quantum-safe future.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
