ISO adopts quantum-resistant encryption standard

The International Organization for Standardization has formally adopted Classic McEliece, a quantum-resistant encryption standard co-designed by an international team that includes Dr Varun Maram from the University of Warwick's Department of Computer Science. The adoption, announced this month, marks the first time a code-based cryptographic standard has been formally endorsed by ISO.miragenews+1

A Different Approach to Encryption

Classic McEliece is based on an encryption system first published by Robert J. McEliece in 1978. Rather than relying on mathematical exponentiation as used in RSA — which future quantum computers could potentially crack — it uses error-correcting codes, the same technology employed to transmit data reliably across noisy communication channels.warwick+1

"Older encryption systems like RSA were essentially built on the assumption that certain math problems are impossibly hard to solve," Dr Maram explained. "But quantum computers will rewrite those rules."warwick

The method has withstood cryptographic scrutiny for nearly half a century, giving researchers confidence in its long-term resilience against both classical and quantum attacks.classic.mceliece+1

Industry and Government Backing

Classic McEliece has already gained traction beyond the standards body. Popular VPN service Mullvad VPN has integrated it to protect users' internet traffic against future quantum threats, while the German Federal Office for Information Security has endorsed it as suitable for "long-term protection of confidential information." The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, which published its own first set of post-quantum standards in August 2024, is also considering standardizing Classic McEliece, having deferred to ISO's process to avoid creating incompatible standards.classic.mceliece+2

A Global Effort

The team behind Classic McEliece is international in scope, also including Professor Carlos Cid from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. The ISO endorsement is expected to accelerate adoption across governments and industries seeking to future-proof sensitive data against quantum computing threats that, while not yet realized, could retroactively compromise information encrypted today.oist+1