Update to PQC Selection of NIST
14 PQC algorithms advance to the second round of NISTs Post-Quantum Digital Signatures Standardization Process
Since 2016 a selection process with multiple steps is ongoing in which the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) searches and evaluates suitable Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms for digital signatures and encryption for standardization. This is necessary as the continuous development of quantum computers endangers the security of currently used cryptographic protocols.
During this summer, the first PQC algorithms have been standardized by NIST. However, already in 2022 a new selection process was started to find additional Digital Signatures, as few were remaining in the original selection process. Until June 2023, 40 proposals for alternative quantum-secure signature algorithms were collected. Now 14 of these algorithms passed the first selection and enter the second round of the selection process.
During the next 12 to 18 months a detailled examination will take place and first results may already be presented at the sixth PQC Standardization Conference in September 2025.
The selected algorithms are based on different mathematical foundations to ensure a secure algorithm in the future even in case of new insights:
News to the selected algorithms can be found on the official NIST website for the second round.
Additional information about PQC and a comparison to Quantum Key Distribution, an alternative approach for quantum secure communication can be found in the document WiN-Lab Research: PQC versus QKD.