Beyond PQC Transition, Crypto Agility (R31a)
The recent transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) has highlighted significant challenges in how the speakers standardize and deploy cryptography. The initial suite of public-key algorithms, including RSA and ECC, was introduced before their widespread integration into diverse applications. Over decades, these tools have become fundamental to the speakers’ digital infrastructure, with applications adapting specifically to leverage unique properties of existing algorithms for specific security purposes. Consequently, when new algorithms are introduced, they may lack these special properties, necessitating extensive redesigns of applications and protocols beyond simple performance considerations. Cryptographic (crypto) agility, the ability to seamlessly replace and adapt cryptographic algorithms within protocols, applications, software, hardware, firmware, and underlying infrastructure while maintaining security and operational continuity, is paramount. The PQC transition is not an isolated event; it presents a crucial opportunity to fundamentally rethink and embed crypto agility into future systems. Achieving true crypto agility demands new strategies in standardization, implementation, and application design. The ultimate goal is to establish a flexible environment where cryptographic tools can be updated effortlessly without disrupting the applications that rely on them. This talk will highlight the learnings from the NIST crypto agility project. It will cover discussions developed with the application community, including industry and enterprise groups, which are summarized in the NIST Cybersecurity White Paper 39: Considerations for Achieving Cryptographic Agility: Strategies and Practices. The talk will also discuss challenges encountered during the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) transition, analyze the root causes of current barriers, and explore actionable strategies for preparing for future cryptographic transitions.