The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has chosen the first group of encryption tools that are designed to withstand the assault of a future quantum computer, which could potentially crack the security used to protect privacy in the digital systems we rely on every day — such as online banking and email software. The four selected encryption algorithms will become part of NIST’s post-quantum cryptographic standard, expected to be finalized in about two years.
source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2022/07/nist-announces-first-four-quantum-resistant-cryptographic-algorithms
Quantum computers are expected to be capable of breaking existing cryptographic algorithms, threatening the security of our data. The aim of post-quantum cryptography is to address this issue, devising new ways of protecting data and communications against the threat posed by super powerful quantum computers.
source: https://www.inria.fr/en/closer-look-post-quantum-cryptography
To make modern cryptography standards unbreakable, several mathematical and software tools are employed. Some of the best mathematical tools include:
1. Asymmetric Encryption Algorithms: RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are widely used asymmetric encryption algorithms. ECC offers strong security with smaller key sizes compared to RSA.
2. Symmetric Encryption Algorithms: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric encryption algorithm that is widely regarded as secure. AES is used for bulk data encryption.
Regarding software tools, the following are commonly used:
1. OpenSSL: An open-source software library that provides cryptographic functions and protocols. It supports a wide range of cryptographic algorithms and is widely adopted.
2. GnuPG (GNU Privacy Guard): An open-source implementation of the OpenPGP standard for email encryption and signing. It provides secure communication and data integrity.
3. Cryptlib: A powerful and portable software library that offers a comprehensive set of cryptographic functionalities, including encryption, digital signatures, and key management.
However, achieving unbreakable cryptography faces several challenges:
1. Quantum Computing: The development of powerful quantum computers poses a threat to existing public-key cryptographic algorithms, such as RSA and ECC. Quantum-resistant or post-quantum cryptography is an ongoing research area to address this challenge.
2. Implementation Vulnerabilities: Cryptographic algorithms may be secure in theory but can be compromised due to implementation flaws, side-channel attacks, or software bugs. Careful implementation and thorough security testing are crucial.
3. Key Management: Ensuring secure key generation, storage, distribution, and revocation is a critical challenge. Weaknesses in key management can undermine the overall security of a cryptographic system.
4. Social Engineering and Human Factors: Attackers often exploit human vulnerabilities through phishing, social engineering, or coercion to gain access to encryption keys or sensitive information.
Addressing these challenges requires continuous research, collaboration, and adherence to best practices in cryptography and security engineering.
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