NIST, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology has just announced (July the 5th, 2022) the first Quantum-Resistant Cryptographic Algorithms. Digital Core Design and Resquant already have them in their joint portfolio.

Cooperation between two Polish companies denotes an unreachable so far level of security. DCD has been designing IP Cores since 1999 and Resquant brings an innovative approach to cryptography in electronics. The synergy between DCD’s CryptOne CPU and Resquant’s hardware-implemented post-quantum cryptography solution is a real answer to the new challenges and threats to which present-day cryptography is not ready to respond.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has chosen the first group of encryption tools that are designed to withstand the assault of a future quantum computer, which could potentially crack the security used to protect privacy in the digital systems we rely on every day — such as online banking and email software. The four selected encryption algorithms will become part of NIST’s post-quantum cryptographic standard, expected to be finalized in about two years.

NIST has chosen a Kyber for Public-key Encryption and Key-establishment and reccomended Dilithium for digital signage – says Jacek hanke, DCD CEO – Both of them have been already implemented in FPGA by Resquant and connected with DCD’s CryptOne cryptographic system are ready to be utilized in security related desings especially in next-gen smart-cards or TLS accelerators.

Digital Core Design is a well know IP Core provider and SoC design house. Since 1999, the company mastered more than 70 different architectures which have been utilized in more than 500 000 000 electronic devices around the globe. Among them is e.g. World’s Fastest 8051 CPU, 100% safe cryptographic system, and 32-bit fully scalable 32-bit CPU.

“After two years of R&D work, we’ve managed to implement our IP Core on FPGA and integrate it with our post-quantum cryptography modules. That’s why cooperation with DCD and their experience in CPU design enables us to integrate our IP Core with DCD’s CPUs” – explains Tomasz Szcześniak, Resquant CEO.

Especially now, when NIST announced (July the 5th, 2022) the new standards for the Post Quantum Cryptography algorithms, IT needs a trusted solution that answers these standards.

The development of quantum computers presents a plethora of opportunities, but also new challenges and threats to which present-day cryptography is not ready to respond. Like e.g. there are already algorithms that will allow a powerful quantum computer to bypass the existing cryptographic cybersecurity.

ResQuant is one of the very few companies in the world addressing this problem with a practical solution – adds Jacek Hanke, Digital Core Design CEO – we’re glad that the D32PRO – a CPU we’ve designed from scratch and that fuels our CryptOne cryptographic system will integrate ReQuant’s cryptographic IP Cores. That combination brings a ready solution for post-quantum cybersecurity.

CryptOne is a 100& safe cryptographic system based on DCD’s fully scalable 32-bit CPU (https://www.dcd.pl/product/d32pro/). It has been designed from scratch by DCD’s engineers. – Programmers around the globe know the source code of ARM or RISC-V CPUs – says Hanke – our D32PRO’s source code hasn’t been published and never be – this prevents backdoors at the deepest level.

Present-day cybersecurity uses asymmetric (public key) cryptography standards, such as Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). They are based on math problems that cannot be solved by today’s computers. However, two algorithms are already invented – Shor’s and Grover’s – that can solve these problems on a quantum computer. It means that as soon as there is a quantum computer powerful enough, all currently used public-key cryptography will be useless. NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division stated clearly that “(…) the threat is already present. With the prospect of future quantum computers, hackers could steal encrypted information today, store it and decrypt it in 10-15 years using a future quantum computer.”

ResQuant’s IP Core with DCD’s processor maintains its modular architecture and uses new, post-quantum (or quantum-resistance) algorithms, the encryption which, unlike the currently used algorithms, can’t be broken by a quantum computer.

This approach additionally allows the combining of post-quantum, current (ECC and RSA), and, if required, the customer’s algorithms.