Quantum-safe cryptography for the Internet

公钥加密对于确保所有互联网通信的安全至关重要。例如，传输层安全（TLS）协议使用公钥加密来保护每个输入密码或信用卡号的“https”网页。然而，在实践中使用的所有公钥算法都是基于数学问题——比如因式分解、离散对数或椭圆曲线——这些都可以被量子计算机打破。量子安全密码学领域，也被称为后量子或抗量子密码学，旨在构建被认为即使对量子计算机也是安全的公钥密码系统。物理学的不断进步指向大规模量子计算机的最终构建。这种未来的设备仍然能够解密当今的通信，允许任何人解密今天传输的数据。因此，重要的是现在就开始开发和部署量子安全加密技术，甚至在量子计算机建成之前。***已经提出了几种用于构建量子安全密码系统的数学技术，包括格（以及带错误的学习问题）、纠错码、多元方程和哈希函数。它们已被用于构造公钥加密和数字签名方案，以及完全同态加密等复杂功能。不幸的是，目前所有的量子安全算法都有缺点，不适合实际使用。有些需要更大的密钥大小或密文，增加了通信成本；其他的实现缓慢。量子安全密码学的现有研究主要集中在公钥加密和数字签名上，而大多数现实世界的协议都需要经过身份验证的密钥交换。如何在应用中高效、安全地集成它们，以及它们的性能特点，目前还很少有研究。***本研究计划的总体目标是设计安全的密码系统，防止量子计算机的攻击，并适用于互联网，特别关注身份验证密钥交换协议。我们将为各种加密任务设计新的和改进的算法，并在部署协议的背景下分析和测试这些算法，以确定适合长期使用的技术，从而实现这一目标。***这项研究的结果将支持创建保护通信免受量子计算机攻击的互联网技术。预期的结果是实用的新加密算法、开源软件，以及在互联网协议中使用量子安全加密的建议，准备供互联网标准机构使用。加拿大互联网用户将从加强的安全措施中受益。这项研究支持了加拿大在成为量子技术领导者方面的战略投资

Public key cryptography is essential in securing all Internet communications. For example, the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol uses public key cryptography to protect every "https" web page for entering passwords or credit card numbers. However, all public key algorithms used in practice are based on mathematical problems—such as factoring, discrete logarithms, or elliptic curves—which could be broken by a quantum computer. The field of quantum-safe cryptography, also called post-quantum or quantum-resistant cryptography, aims to construct public key cryptosystems that are believed to be secure even against quantum computers. Ongoing advancements in physics point toward the eventual construction of large-scale quantum computers. Such future devices would still be able to decrypt present-day communications, allowing anyone to decrypt data transmitted today. Thus, it is important to start developing and deploying quantum-safe cryptography now, even before quantum computers are built.***Several mathematical techniques have been proposed for constructing quantum-safe cryptosystems, including lattices (and the learning-with-errors problem), error-correcting codes, multivariate equations, and hash functions. These have been used to construct public key encryption and digital signature schemes, as well as complex functionality like fully homomorphic encryption.***Unfortunately, all current quantum-safe algorithms have drawbacks that make them unsuitable for practical use. Some require larger key sizes or ciphertexts, increasing communication costs; others have slow implementations. Existing research in quantum-safe cryptography has focused on public key encryption and digital signatures, whereas most real-world protocols need authenticated key exchange. There is little research on how to efficiently and securely integrate them in applications, and their performance characteristics.***The overall aim of this research program is to design cryptographic systems that are secure against attacks by quantum computers and are practical for use on the Internet, with a specific focus on authenticated key exchange protocols. We will achieve this by designing new and improved algorithms for a variety of cryptographic tasks and analysing and testing these algorithms in the context of deployed protocols to identify techniques that are suitable for long-term use.***The results of this research will support the creation of Internet technologies that protect communication from quantum computers. The anticipated outcomes are practical new encryption algorithms, open source software, and recommendations for the use of quantum-safe cryptography in Internet protocols, ready for use by Internet standards bodies. Canadian Internet users will benefit from enhanced security. This research supports Canada's strategic investment in becoming a leader in quantum technologies.**