The quantum-cryptography memorandum follows the NATO Cyber Security Centre’s recent test run of secure communication flows that could withstand attackers using quantum computing. The memorandum protection mechanisms may include counter-intelligence and “well-targeted export controls”. The migration will affect all sectors of the US economy, including government, critical infrastructure, businesses, cloud providers, and basically anywhere today’s public-key cryptography is used. “Any digital system that uses existing public standards for public-key cryptography, or that is planing to transition to such cryptography, could be vulnerable to an attack by a QRQC,” the White House states. There’s no hard deadline for the post-quantum cryptographic migration, but the White House wants the US to migrate cryptographic systems to ones that are resistant to a ‘cryptanalytically’ relevant quantum computer (CRQC), with the aim of “mitigating as much of the quantum risk as is feasible” by 2035. IQT-News summarizes Tung’s discussion here.
ZDNet contributor Liam Tung discusses the The Biden administration’s memorandum outlining its desire for the US to maintain its leaderships in quantum information science (QIS) as well as a rough timeline and responsibilities for federal agencies to migrate most of the US’s cryptographic systems to quantum-resistant cryptography.
(ZDNet) The White House has announced a set of proposals for keeping the US ahead of quantum computing race globally, while mitigating the risk of quantum computers that can break public-key cryptography.