The advent of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) would render state-of-the-art, traditional public key algorithms deployed today obsolete, as the mathematical assumptions underpinning their security would no longer hold. To address this, protocols and infrastructure must transition to post-quantum algorithms, which are designed to resist both traditional and quantum attacks. This document explains why engineers need to be aware of and understand post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and it details the impact of CRQCs on existing systems and the challenges involved in transitioning to post-quantum algorithms. Unlike previous cryptographic updates, this shift may require significant protocol redesign due to the unique properties of post-quantum algorithms.
IETF · RFCОфициальная английская аннотация
The advent of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) would render state-of-the-art, traditional public key algorithms deployed today obsolete, as the mathematical assumptions underpinning their security would no longer hold. To address this, protocols and infrastructure must transition to post-quantum algorithms, which are designed to resist both traditional and quantum attacks. This document explains why engineers need to be aware of and understand post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and it details the impact of CRQCs on existing systems and the challenges involved in transitioning to post-quantum algorithms. Unlike previous cryptographic updates, this shift may require significant protocol redesign due to the unique properties of post-quantum algorithms.
{
"id": "RFC9958",
"number": 9958,
"title_en": "Post-Quantum Cryptography for Engineers",
"title_ru": "",
"summary_ru": "",
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"abstract_en": "The advent of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) would render state-of-the-art, traditional public key algorithms deployed today obsolete, as the mathematical assumptions underpinning their security would no longer hold. To address this, protocols and infrastructure must transition to post-quantum algorithms, which are designed to resist both traditional and quantum attacks. This document explains why engineers need to be aware of and understand post-quantum cryptography (PQC), and it details the impact of CRQCs on existing systems and the challenges involved in transitioning to post-quantum algorithms. Unlike previous cryptographic updates, this shift may require significant protocol redesign due to the unique properties of post-quantum algorithms.",
"authors": [
"A. Banerjee",
"T. Reddy.K",
"D. Schoinianakis",
"T. Hollebeek",
"M. Ounsworth"
],
"organizations": [],
"publication_date": "2026-06-01",
"current_status": "INFORMATIONAL",
"current_status_ru": "Информационный",
"publication_status": "INFORMATIONAL",
"publication_status_ru": "Информационный",
"lifecycle": "informational",
"lifecycle_ru": "Справочный",
"stream": "IETF",
"stream_ru": "IETF",
"area": "sec",
"area_ru": "Безопасность",
"working_group": "pquip",
"source_draft": "draft-ietf-pquip-pqc-engineers-14",
"page_count": 42,
"doi": "10.17487/RFC9958",
"keywords": [
"PQC"
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