The National Institute of Science and Technology is soliciting feedback on its draft guidance on using key-encapsulation mechanisms, or KEMs, for protection against cyberattacks using quantum computers. The guide follows up on the August release of NIST’s updated cryptographic standards with an algorithm for quantum attack protection, the institute said Tuesday.
NIST added that the public input on the guidance, titled Recommendations for Key Encapsulation Mechanisms, will help it select one or two additional KEMs for standardization. Through KEMs and their set of algorithms, two parties can share a secret key for performing tasks, such as encryption and authentication, over a public channel.
Multi-Algorithm Protection Key
Approaches to establishing a multi-algorithm key in creating and combining shared secrets are among the recommendations in the 52-page guidance. It also provides KEMs’ definitions, properties and applications.
The deadline for submitting comments—which can be e-mailed to sp800-227-comments@nist.gov—is March 7.
In November, NIST solicited public comments on the first draft of its report describing how the agency will manage and guide the transition to cryptography standards less vulnerable to quantum attacks. The 22-page draft report, titled “Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards,” pinpoints the current quantum-vulnerable cryptographic standards and existing quantum-resistant algorithms proposed for deployment in the migration.
