NIST has completed the third round of its Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standardization process, selecting four candidate algorithms for standardization and four additional algorithms to advance to the fourth round. The selected algorithms for standardization are CRYSTALS-KYBER (key-establishment) and CRYSTALS-Dilithium (digital signatures), along with FALCON and SPHINCS+. These algorithms were chosen for their strong security and performance, with CRYSTALS-KYBER and CRYSTALS-Dilithium expected to work well in most applications. NIST will create new draft standards for the selected algorithms and seek public feedback before finalizing them. The four candidate KEM algorithms advancing to the fourth round are BIKE, Classic McEliece, HQC, and SIKE. NIST will allow submission teams to provide updated specifications and implementations for these algorithms by October 1, 2022. The fourth round of the standardization process will proceed similarly to the previous rounds, and NIST plans to hold a 4th PQC Standardization Conference in November-December 2022. Additionally, NIST will issue a new Call for Proposals for public-key (quantum-resistant) digital signature algorithms by the end of summer 2022, with submissions due by June 1, 2023.
Keywords: Post-quantum, Cryptography, Standardization, Algorithms, Digital Signatures
