The Linux Foundation has launched the Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA), an initiative aimed at advancing and adopting post-quantum cryptography. The PQCA, comprising industry leaders, researchers, and developers, will address security challenges posed by quantum computing and support the development of new post-quantum algorithms. The PQCA will serve as a central foundation for organizations and open-source projects seeking production-ready libraries and packages aligned with the U.S. National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Advisory concerning the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0.
The alliance is backed by founding members including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cisco, Google, IBM, IntellectEU, Keyfactor, Kudelski IoT, NVIDIA, QuSecure, SandboxAQ, and the University of Waterloo. It aims to secure sensitive data and communications in the post-quantum era, given the rapid advancements in quantum computing. The PQCA will undertake various technical projects, including the development of software for evaluating, prototyping, and deploying new post-quantum algorithms. This will facilitate the practical adoption of post-quantum cryptography across different industries.
Several members of the PQCA have played significant roles in the standardization of post-quantum cryptography, including as co-authors of the first four algorithms selected in the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project (CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, Falcon, and SPHINCS+). Among the launch projects of the PQCA is the Open Quantum Safe project, founded at the University of Waterloo in 2014, and the new PQ Code Package Project, which will build high-assurance production-ready software implementations of forthcoming post-quantum cryptography standards, starting with the ML-KEM algorithm.
Additional information is available in a news release posted here which announces the formation of the alliance. You can also visit the website for the PQCA here.
February 10, 2024