Open Quantum Safe History, Types, Challenges and Advantages
Open Quantum Safe (OQS) is an open-source initiative that promotes quantum-resistant cryptography. It is a member of the Linux Foundation and the Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance.
A full explanation of Open Quantum Safe:
Purpose and Goal
Open Quantum Safe develops and tests quantum-resistant encryption. The main goal is to help businesses transition to a quantum-safe future by providing resources to develop and test new cryptographic algorithms. It provides quantum-resistant cryptography prototype software.
Research by the project team and others is sponsored.
History
In 2014, Michele Mosca and Douglas Stebila founded the scientific OQS initiative.
Initial goals included testing and prototyping quantum-resistant algorithms.
As post-quantum cryptography developed and the NIST PQC standardisation process began, Open Quantum Safe refocused on developing a production-track codebase for standardised algorithms while supporting novel algorithm research.
Open Quantum Safe joined the Linux Foundation in January 2024.
Architecture and Core Parts
Open Quantum Safe has two main parts:
Liboqs is an open-source C library for quantum-resistant cryptography. It is central to the OQS project. KEMs and digital signature systems are quantum-resistant cryptographic methods used in liboqs. It supports x86-64, ARM32v7, and ARM64v8 and builds on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Wrappers are available for C++, Go, Java,.Net, Python, and Rust. The Open Quantum Safe team creates prototypes that integrate liboqs into popular applications and protocols. This lets researchers and developers test the performance of novel algorithms in real-world contexts. TLS, SSH, X.509, and CMS/S/MIME are examples of integrations. Demo connections exist for Apache, nginx, haproxy, curl, and Chromium. “Crypto-agile” OQS's architecture is “crypto-agile,” making cryptographic algorithm switching easy. The PQC scene is evolving, thus this is crucial. Combining new post-quantum algorithms with RSA and ECC will create a hybrid strategy that manages transition risk.
Algorithms for Quantum Resistance
Encouraged In the Open Quantum Safe framework, post-quantum cryptography solutions based on “hard problems” that classical and quantum computers struggle to solve are developed. The following are:
CRYSTALS-Kyber (a KEM) and CRYSTALS-Dilithium (a digital signature scheme) were two of the first algorithms NIST standardised. Other supported lattice-based algorithms are FrodoKEM and NTRU-Prime.
SPHINCS+ and LMS/XMSS/HSS are hash-based cryptography algorithms. Though they have larger signatures or fewer key pair usage, these are likely secure.
HQC and Classic McEliece are code-based cryptography techniques.
Additional cryptography families like isogeny-based and multivariate-based are examined.
Some of the other specific algorithms mentioned include BIKE, CROSS, MAYO, ML-DSA, ML-KEM, and SNOVA.
Advantages
Future-Proofing: Open Quantum Safe prepares enterprises for quantum computers that can crack public-key encryption.
Open Source: This collaborative initiative promotes community code audits and openness.
Crypto-Agility: PQC's modular architecture makes algorithm conversion easy as requirements change.
Prototyping: Before standardisation and implementation, researchers and developers can test novel algorithms and understand their performance implications.
Drawbacks and Issues
Performance Overhead: Many post-quantum techniques are computationally demanding and have higher key sizes and signatures than conventional algorithms, affecting network performance and storage.
Lack of Standardisation: NIST has selected various algorithms for standardisation, but the process is ongoing. Because new algorithms have not been as carefully tested as RSA or ECC, new weaknesses may be uncovered.
“Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” Threat: Without a quantum computer to overcome encryption, sensitive data could be collected and stored, requiring an urgent change.
Migration complexity: Switching to new cryptographic standards for large, complex infrastructures requires careful planning, a lot of money, and a skilled team.
Applications
Anyone using public-key cryptography can utilise Open Quantum Safe. Useful regions include:
TLS encryption of email, web traffic, and other network communications using quantum-resistant methods.
Software Updates: Authenticating firmware and software upgrades with quantum-resistant digital signatures.
Defending IoT communications and low-power devices.
Defending blockchain and digital currency cryptography from quantum assaults.
Shown and integrated: OpenVPN, Chromium, curl, links, nginx, Apache httpd.
Develop and Community
All development happens in GitHub repositories. Project welcomes new contributors.
The Linux Foundation Mentorship program offers mentorships.
There are many public, private, business, and academic supporters of the effort. Important industry partners include Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon Web Services.
Modifications include liboqs, oqs-provider, and Rust, Java, C++, Go, and Python bindings. Liboq security assessments are public.
Benchmarking, Research
TLS, memory, and core algorithm benchmarks are available from Open Quantum Safe.
Academic articles on blockchain and TLS without handshake signatures and Cisco, IBM, and Microsoft study study and prototyping on post-quantum TLS, SSH, and VPN performance use it.