NIST Releases FIPS 203, 204, 205 Standards for Post-Quantum Cryptography

Aug 13, 2024, 12:16 PM

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its first standards for post-quantum cryptography, marking a significant milestone in cybersecurity. The standards, published after nine years of development, include three encryption algorithms designed to withstand the power of future quantum computers. These algorithms are part of the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), with FIPS 203: ML-KEM intended as the primary standard for general encryption, and FIPS 204 and FIPS 205 also included. The release aims to prepare for a future where quantum computers could potentially break current encryption methods. Companies like SandboxAQ and Quantum Xchange have expressed support for these standards, highlighting their importance in the migration to quantum-safe cryptography.