diff --git a/docs/_sidebar.md b/docs/_sidebar.md index 4f381ce4..c0cf8df4 100644 --- a/docs/_sidebar.md +++ b/docs/_sidebar.md @@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ - Polynomials - Commitment schemes - ZK + - [Post-Quantum Cryptography](/wiki/Cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography.md) - [Protocol Fellowship](/wiki/epf.md) - **Wiki Info** diff --git a/docs/wiki/Cryptography/ecdsa.md b/docs/wiki/Cryptography/ecdsa.md index d0236317..533ddbd4 100644 --- a/docs/wiki/Cryptography/ecdsa.md +++ b/docs/wiki/Cryptography/ecdsa.md @@ -276,6 +276,9 @@ This discussion is a preliminary treatment of Elliptic Curve Cryptography. For a And finally: **never roll your own crypto!** Use trusted libraries and protocols to protect your data and transactions. +> ℹī¸ Note +> ECDSA faces potential obsolescence from quantum computers – learn about how [Post-Quantum Cryptography tackles this challenge.](/wiki/Cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography.md) + ## Further reading **Elliptic curve cryptography** diff --git a/docs/wiki/Cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography.md b/docs/wiki/Cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f3298008 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/wiki/Cryptography/post-quantum-cryptography.md @@ -0,0 +1,19 @@ +# Post-Quantum Cryptography + +Classical cryptography safeguards information by leveraging the inherent difficulty of certain mathematical problems. These problems fall under the area of mathematical research called the ["Hidden Subgroup Problem (HSP)"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_subgroup_problem). For a large group with a secret subgroup known only to insiders, these problems makes determining the structure of the secret subgroup (size, elements) computationally intractable for an outsider. Whereas, someone with the "secret" (the private key) can easily identify the subgroup. + +Public-key cryptography leverages this concept. Algorithms like RSA, DSA, and [ECDSA](/wiki/Cryptography/ecdsa.md) rely on problems like prime factorization of large integers or discrete logarithm calculations to secure private keys. The difficulty of solving these problems increases exponentially with key size, making brute-force attacks impractical for classical computers. This inherent difficulty safeguards encrypted data. + +However, the landscape is shifting. + +Quantum computers, harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, offer novel computational approaches. Certain quantum algorithms can solve these classical cryptographic problems with exponential efficiency compared to their classical counterparts. This newfound capability poses a significant threat to the security of data encrypted with classical cryptography. + +[Shor's algorithm](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/365700) for integer factorization is the most celebrated application of quantum computing. It factors n-digit integers in a time complexity less than $O(n^3)$, a significant improvement over the best classical algorithms. + +This is where the field of post-quantum cryptography comes in. It aims to develop new algorithms that remain secure even in the presence of powerful quantum computers. + +## Resources + +- 📝 Wikipedia, ["Quantum algorithm."](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_algorithm) +- 📝 P.W. Shor, ["Algorithms for quantum computation: discrete logarithms and factoring."](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/365700) +- 📝 NIST, ["Post-Quantum Cryptography."](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/post-quantum-cryptography) diff --git a/wordlist.txt b/wordlist.txt index 58b0a19f..7f414997 100644 --- a/wordlist.txt +++ b/wordlist.txt @@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ ShareAlike Shead Shimon Silverman +Shor Sipser SLOAD smlXL