U.S. Spy Agency Sets Requirements and Deadline for Adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography

…The Director of NSA is the National Manager for NSS and therefore issues guidance for NSS. The algorithms in CNSA 2.0 are an update to those in the currently required Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite (now referred to as CNSA 1.0) listed in CNSSP 15, Annex B (released in 2016). The CNSA 2.0 algorithms have been analyzed as secure against both classical and quantum computers, and they will eventually be required for NSS…

…“This transition to quantum-resistant technology in our most critical systems will require collaboration between government, National Security System owners and operators, and industry,” said Rob Joyce, Director of NSA Cybersecurity. “Our hope is that sharing these requirements now will help efficiently operationalize these requirements when the time comes…”

…NSS owners and operators should not deploy QR algorithms on mission networks until they have been vetted by NIST and National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) as required in CNSSP-11. There will be a transition period, and NSA will be transparent about NSS transition requirements…

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