/Crypto & ITSec general/
THE POST-QUANTUM ERA IS UPON US
>NIST has initiated a process to solicit, evaluate, and standardize one or more quantum-resistant public-key cryptographic algorithms.
>In recent years, there has been a substantial amount of research on quantum computers -- machines that exploit quantum mechanical phenomena to solve mathematical problems that are difficult or intractable for conventional computers. If large-scale quantum computers are ever built, they will be able to break many of the public-key cryptosystems currently in use. This would seriously compromise the confidentiality and integrity of digital communications on the Internet and elsewhere. The goal of post-quantum cryptography (also called quantum-resistant cryptography) is to develop cryptographic systems that are secure against both quantum and classical computers, and can interoperate with existing communications protocols and networks.
>The question of when a large-scale quantum computer will be built is a complicated one. While in the past it was less clear that large quantum computers are a physical possibility, many scientists now believe it to be merely a significant engineering challenge. Some engineers even predict that within the next twenty or so years sufficiently large quantum computers will be built to break essentially all public key schemes currently in use. Historically, it has taken almost two decades to deploy our modern public key cryptography infrastructure. Therefore, regardless of whether we can estimate the exact time of the arrival of the quantum computing era, we must begin now to prepare our information security systems to be able to resist quantum computing.
<http://archive.is/TcxrJ
>We know from the Snowden documents that the NSA is conducting research on both quantum computation and quantum cryptography. The NSA is worried enough about advances in the technology to start transitioning away from algorithms that are vulnerable to a quantum computer. Unlike most personal and corporate applications, the NSA routinely deals with information it wants kept secret for decades. Even so, we should all follow the NSA's lead and transition our own systems to quantum-resistant algorithms over the next decade or so -- possibly even sooner.
<http://archive.is/WAosk
Ok so if the NSA is interested, why shouldn't we be as well?
Now, for a blog-post of what keeps me up at night:
So, long story short, I'm an electronics student who likes networking and programming more than he likes hardware.
Rather than studying about opamps and the like, I picked subjects in uni pertaining to cryptography and computer networks.
However, my math is shit, and we keep being told we should under no circumstance 'roll our own' crypto.
Thing is, I feel like all the stuff I studied in the last 2 years are out the window once post-quantum becomes a thing. And in order to survive the transition wave I'd be required to learn my ass off regarding how the math for quantum computing and post-quantum crypto primitives work, or risk almost instant obsolescence.
Is this a valid concern?
Note that I'll be bumping this thread from time to time, as I'm studying this shit and will try to provide informative easy-to-digest posts about whichever pq candidate I'll be reading about.