CHAPTER 2 Challenges Ahead 23 In general, the interoperability of post-quantum schemes with existing security infrastructures needs to be investigated. Education There are many misconceptions about the power of quantum computers in the public. Often quantum computers are falsely believed to provide instantaneous solutions to arbitrary computational problems. This is not the case; the actual power of quantum computers is limited to very specific algorithms and they provide improvements only to a limited number of applications. Coincidentally, cryptanalysis is one of these applications and the impact on the field of secure communication is severe. In order to draw the correct conclusions for development, management, regulations, and funding, the public in general and in particular managers, engineers, and politicians need to be informed about the impact of quantum computing and the solutions provided by cryptography. Standardization In 2016, the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US started a standardization process for post-quantum cryptography 46. Also the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is working on the standardization of »quantum-safe« cryptography 28. The standardization process depends on the input of academia and industry in order to achieve secure and usable standards. Legislation and regulation There are national and international laws and regulations on qualified digital signatures (e.g., eIDAS, SigG in Germany), protection of private information (e.g., EU data protection rules), and the security of network and information systems (e.g., NIS Directive). These laws do not specify which specific technical procedures, cryptographic schemes, or parameters must be implemented but dictate that the goal of data protection must be achieved. Therefore, entities that process private data or offer qualified signatures are required by law to protect against state-of-the-art attacks. This will eventually also apply to attacks using quantum computers and appropriate protection mechanisms against quantum computers will become mandatory.
PQC_for_Dummies
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