Kvanttikestävät

Kvanttikestävät refers to cryptographic algorithms that are believed to be resistant to attacks by quantum computers. The development of quantum computers poses a significant threat to current widely used cryptographic systems, such as RSA and ECC, which rely on the difficulty of factoring large numbers or solving the discrete logarithm problem. These problems are susceptible to Shor's algorithm, a quantum algorithm that can solve them efficiently.

Post-quantum cryptography, often abbreviated as PQC, is the field dedicated to developing and standardizing these quantum-resistant algorithms. The goal is to create new cryptographic methods that can run on today's classical computers but remain secure even when executed on a powerful quantum computer. Research in this area explores various mathematical approaches, including lattice-based cryptography, code-based cryptography, hash-based cryptography, and multivariate polynomial cryptography.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States has been leading a multi-year process to select and standardize quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms. This process involves evaluating numerous proposals from researchers worldwide based on their security, performance, and implementation characteristics. The selection of these new standards is crucial for ensuring the long-term security of digital communications and data. Organizations and governments are preparing for the transition to these new algorithms to protect sensitive information from future quantum threats.