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Status:

PROPOSED STANDARD

Author:

R. Housley

Stream:

IETF

Source:

lamps (sec)

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DOI:  https://doi.org/10.17487/RFC8696

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Abstract

The invention of a large-scale quantum computer would pose a seriouschallenge for the cryptographic algorithms that are widely deployedtoday. The Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) supports key transportand key agreement algorithms that could be broken by the invention ofsuch a quantum computer. By storing communications that areprotected with the CMS today, someone could decrypt them in thefuture when a large-scale quantum computer becomes available. Oncequantum-secure key management algorithms are available, the CMS willbe extended to support the new algorithms if the existing syntax doesnot accommodate them. This document describes a mechanism to protecttoday's communication from the future invention of a large-scalequantum computer by mixing the output of key transport and keyagreement algorithms with a pre-shared key.

For the definition ofStatus,seeRFC 2026.

For the definition ofStream, seeRFC 8729.