Eye-catching quantum developments
NIST will standardize an additional PQC algorithm called HQC
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has made an important announcement: they have selected Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC) as a backup algorithm for post-quantum encryption. HQC was one of the four key establishment algorithms that was studied during round 4 of their PQC standardization initiative that was launched in 2016.
HQC is set to work alongside the primary encryption method, ML-KEM, which was standardized in 2024. While ML-KEM relies on mathematical structures called lattices, HQC takes a different approach by using error-correcting codes. This variety within the underlying mathematical base is essential because it gives organizations a solid alternative if any weaknesses are found in ML-KEM.
NIST carefully evaluated HQC along with other candidates, such as BIKE and Classic McEliece, to ensure it meets high security standards. Although HQC may need more computing power than ML-KEM, its strong security features make it a reliable choice for protecting sensitive information. NIST plans to release a draft standard for HQC in 2026, with full approval expected by 2027. This gives businesses time to prepare for the transition to these new encryption solutions.
Amazon Web Services announce Ocelot
End of February, Amazon Web Services (AWS), published a research paper in Nature
on their new quantum chip called Ocelot.
One of the major challenges within the field of quantum computing is the sensitivity towards noise. Qubits are currently easily influenced by noise, which makes that error-correction critical. To perform error-correction, the computer needs computing power that can’t be spent on solving the actual problem at hand. The aim of this chip is to reduce the cost of implementing quantum error correction.
The researchers created a logical qubit memory by combining two elements, bosonic cat qubits and repetition code. The bosonic cat qubits are a special kind of qubit that can exist in multiple states simultaneously, like how Schrödinger’s cat can be both alive and dead in his famous thought experiment. They are designed to be more resilient to certain types of errors.
Repetition of code is not something specifically tied to quantum physics but is used in classical error correction as well. This technique involves repeating the information multiple times to ensure that even if some of the copies get corrupted, the original message can still be reconstructed. In this case, they used a repetition code with a distance of 5, meaning that the system can tolerate a certain number of errors before it fails.
Through a stabilizing circuit that passively protects the cat qubits from bit flips (a type of error where a qubit changes its state), the researchers were able to reduce the errors introduced. The paper concluded that as the codes get larger, the savings regarding physical qubits will become even more pronounced. Good steps forward for a future where fewer qubits can achieve more.
D-Wave and their claim to quantum supremacy
D-Wave Quantum Inc. has announced a significant milestone in quantum computing, claiming to have achieved “quantum supremacy”. This news resulted in an almost doubling of their stock price over the following days (QBTS).
While other companies focus on universal quantum computers, D-Wave specializes in quantum annealing, which excels in solving specific optimization problems. In recent experiments, D-Wave utilized its Advantage2 processor, featuring approximately 1,200 superconducting qubits, to simulate the quantum dynamics of magnetic materials. The results indicated that matching D-Wave’s findings on large problems would take classical supercomputers millions of years.
Whether this is really supremacy is currently under discussion within the quantum field. Many scientists rather consider this as “quantum utility” or “quantum advantage” as suggested in the publication. Given that quantum computers are not able to solve this problem on a large scale, supremacy hasn’t really been achieved, but there is a good indication that there is a considerable advantage through quantum computing over classical methods.
NCSC announces UK government timelines for PQC
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released important guidance for organizations looking to transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). This guidance outlines a structured roadmap that extends to 2035, with clear milestones for organizations to follow.
By 2028, organizations are expected to complete their cryptographic assessments and develop a migration strategy. By 2031, they should have implemented key PQC upgrades and refined their plans for moving forward. The final phase, aimed for 2035, calls for a complete transition from traditional public-key cryptographic systems to PQC, aligning with the evolution of standards and infrastructure.
This migration is essential due to the potential risks posed by future quantum computers, which could compromise widely used asymmetric encryption methods. The NCSC views the transition to PQC as a significant, multi-year effort in cybersecurity modernization. It encourages organizations to take this opportunity to simplify outdated systems and improve visibility within their supply chains.
Cloudflares quantum-safe zero-trust platform
Cloudflare is announcing the first phase of end-to-end quantum readiness for its Zero Trust platform, allowing customers to protect their corporate network traffic with post-quantum cryptography. This means that organizations can use Cloudflare’s Zero Trust platform to route their communications from end-user devices to secure applications, gaining end-to-end quantum safety.
Cloudflare is committed to making advanced cryptography accessible to everyone without extra cost, and over a third of the human traffic passing through Cloudflare today already enjoys this enhanced security. Any visitor accessing awebsite protected by Cloudflare today benefits from post-quantum cryptography, when using a major browser like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
The company is also addressing the threat of quantum computing by upgrading its Secure Web Gateway to support TLS with post-quantum cryptography. (original publication: Cloudflare Zero Trust)
