Dilithium4

Dilithium4 is a cryptographic algorithm designed for public-key cryptography, specifically for the authentication and key exchange processes. Developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as part of its post-quantum cryptography standardization efforts, Dilithium4 is one of the finalists in the NIST PQC Project. It was selected as one of the recommended algorithms for use in the U.S. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 203 and FIPS 204 standards, which aim to provide secure cryptographic practices against quantum computing threats.

Dilithium4 operates based on lattice-based cryptography, leveraging the hardness of certain mathematical problems in high-dimensional lattices. The algorithm is designed to offer strong security guarantees, even against quantum adversaries, by using techniques such as short integer solutions and structured lattices. It supports both key generation and signature verification, making it versatile for various cryptographic applications.

The key generation process involves creating a public-private key pair, where the private key is derived from a lattice basis and a random seed. The public key is constructed from the lattice basis and a hash of the private key. Signatures are generated by solving a lattice problem on the private key and combining the result with a hash of the message. Verification then checks if the signature matches the expected output for the given message and public key.

Dilithium4 is optimized for performance and efficiency, making it suitable for deployment in both hardware and software environments. It provides a balance between security strength and computational overhead, making it a practical choice for modern cryptographic systems. The algorithm’s inclusion in FIPS standards underscores its reliability and adherence to security best practices.