Post-Quantum’s Algorithm Meets ISO Standard to Thwart HNDL Attacks

The timeline for current encryption being broken has dramatically shortened, with prominent experts now estimating a potential breach within the next three years. This accelerated threat is fueled by advancements like Google’s recent application of Artificial Intelligence to optimize Shor’s algorithm, reducing the physical qubit count needed to compromise systems. In response, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has included the Classic McEliece algorithm within its standard for Asymmetric Ciphers (ISO/IEC 18033-2), enabling organizations in 177 member states to upgrade their defenses. “Every major organisation should now have progressed beyond planning to active implementation of quantum-safe encryption,” says Rikky Hasan, CEO at Post-Quantum, as the algorithm gains global recognition as a robust solution against quantum cyber attack.

Shor’s Algorithm & The Threat of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later”

The accelerating progress in quantum computing presents a clear and present danger to existing encryption methods; adversaries are already preparing for a future where current security protocols are obsolete. This proactive threat, known as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HNDL), underscores the urgency of transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography, even before fully functional quantum computers capable of breaking encryption become a reality. Google’s recent advancements demonstrate a significant acceleration of this timeline, as the company’s application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize Shor’s algorithm drastically reduces the computational resources needed for decryption. Specifically, the AI-driven optimization lowers the number of physical qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information, required to execute Shor’s algorithm, effectively shortening the estimated timeframe for a successful attack.

The potential for decryption is not merely theoretical; the HNDL strategy involves the clandestine collection of encrypted data with the intention of decrypting it once quantum computers reach sufficient maturity. This standardization, encompassing the 177 member states of the ISO, provides a globally recognized framework for organizations to upgrade their encryption infrastructure. The algorithm, building upon Professor Robert McEliece’s 1978 cryptosystem, utilizes error-correcting codes to create a highly secure, code-based encryption method.

Hasan further emphasizes that “ISO standardisation means Classic McEliece can be implemented more easily and consistently by governments and enterprises across the world.” The cryptographic community’s sustained inability to break the McEliece system since the 1970s, combined with its demonstrated viability in challenging environments, such as the recent airborne deployment with STV Group resulting in battlefield-ready drones, reinforces its position as a leading post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solution. Hasan concludes, “ISO’s standardisation demonstrates the technical community’s belief in Classic McEliece and its suitability for securing communications from attack by quantum computers.”