Two leading software security experts, Cryptomathic and PQShield, have formed a strategic alliance to offer comprehensive post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions for code signing and data protection. This partnership comes in response to the recent release of new PQC standards by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Chinese National Cryptography Administration’s (CNSA) 2.0 requirements. The alliance aims to help organizations transition to quantum-resistant software solutions, ensuring compliance with migration mandates.
Through this partnership, clients will have access to a powerful technology that supports all standardized PQC algorithms, including stateful hash-based signature schemes like LMS and XMSS. Glen Leonhard, Director of Key Management at Cryptomathic, emphasized the importance of addressing immediate industry needs for upgrading root of trust, particularly in firmware and code signing. Johannes Lintzen, Business Development Director at PQShield, highlighted the company’s world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography standards like CRYSTAL-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium, SPHINCS+, and FALCON.
Strategic Alliance for Post-Quantum Cryptography Solutions
The recent alliance between Cryptomathic and PQShield marks a significant milestone in the development of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions. As pioneers in cryptographic agility and PQC, these two software security experts have joined forces to offer comprehensive, quantum-resistant software solutions that comply with the latest National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Chinese National Standards Administration (CNSA) recommendations.
The partnership comes at a critical time, as organizations face the challenge of transitioning to PQC in response to new standards and mandates. The CNSA 2.0 requirements and the recent release of FIPS 203, FIPS 204, and FIPS 205, which specify algorithms derived from CRYSTALS-Dilithium, CRYSTALS-KYBER, and SPHINCS+, have made PQC a reality for many organizations. This transition impacts a wide range of use cases, including the signing of device firmware and secure boot, network and application security, and meticulous management of cryptographic keys and their life cycles.
Through this strategic alliance, Cryptomathic and PQShield are offering a powerful technology that enables full support of all standardized PQC algorithms, including stateful hash-based signature schemes known as LMS and XMSS, in hardware and software. This also includes streamlined, user-friendly management of such keys with full support for automation workflows through state-of-the-art APIs supporting TLS 1.3 to protect against “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks.
The Need for Cryptographic Agility
The transition to PQC is a complex process that requires careful planning and execution. Organizations must navigate the challenges of migrating their cryptographic systems while ensuring continuity of operations and maintaining the trust of their customers. This is where cryptographic agility comes into play. By adopting agile cryptography practices, organizations can future-proof their systems against potential quantum attacks and ensure compliance with evolving standards and regulations.
Cryptomathic’s expertise in key management solutions and PQShield’s specialization in PQC solutions make them well-positioned to address the immediate needs of the industry. Their strategic alliance will help organizations upgrade their root of trust, including firmware and code signing, to comply with CNSA and NIST mandates.
The Importance of Post-Quantum Cryptography
Post-quantum cryptography is a critical area of research that focuses on developing cryptographic systems resistant to attacks by quantum computers. As quantum computing becomes increasingly powerful, the risk of quantum attacks on classical cryptographic systems grows. PQC solutions are designed to mitigate this risk by using algorithms that are resistant to quantum attacks.
The partnership between Cryptomathic and PQShield is built on a foundation of expertise in PQC. Both companies have delivered critical contributions to evolving high-security solutions, including AES, ECC, and now post-quantum cryptography standards such as CRYSTAL-Kyber, CRYSTALS-Dilithium, SPHINCS+, and FALCON.
The Future of Quantum-Resistant Solutions
The strategic alliance between Cryptomathic and PQShield marks a significant step forward in the development of quantum-resistant solutions. By combining their expertise in cryptographic agility and PQC, these two companies are empowering organizations to adopt agile cryptography strategies that future-proof their systems against potential quantum attacks.
As the threat of quantum attacks grows, the importance of PQC solutions will only continue to increase. The partnership between Cryptomathic and PQShield is well-positioned to address this growing need, providing organizations with the ultimate quantum-resistant solutions to protect their data from external threats and facilitate compliance with evolving standards and regulations.
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