Press release
Forging a Quantum-Secure Future - SSH Communications Security Joins NIST PQC Migration Consortium
Helsinki, Finland – September 1, 2023 – Leading defensive cybersecurity company SSH Communications Security has become part of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Post-Quantum Cryptography Building Block Consortium, operated by the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), which is a collaborative hub within NIST that works with industry, government, and academia to address cybersecurity challenges. This innovative collaboration paves the way for quantum-safe solutions in the United States and beyond.
The mission of the Consortium is to bring awareness to the issues involved in migrating to post-quantum algorithms and to develop practices to ease migration from current public-key algorithms to replacement algorithms. NIST does not evaluate commercial products under this Consortium and does not endorse any product or service used.
The collaborative research and development agreement CRADA (National cybersecurity center of excellence migration to post-quantum cryptography building block consortium cooperative research and development agreement) has been officially signed by SSH Communications Security and NIST, solidifying the partnership between the two organizations. The agreement was signed on July 31, 2023, marking the company's official inclusion in the NIST PQC migration consortium.
NIST PQC Algorithm Competition Yields FIPS Standards for Quantum-Safe Algorithms
In response to the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity against quantum threats, NIST published the first FIPS draft of the preferred PQC algorithms, including CRYSTALS-KYBER and CRYSTALS-DILITHIUM, on August 24, 2023. These algorithms were already selected for standardization last year and are expected to be finalized in 2024. SSH Communications Security welcomes the standardization and is particularly enthusiastic about the wider adoption of CRYSTALS-KYBER Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) and future migration to the preferred PQC signature algorithms.
“The retroactive attacks on key exchange in network communication protocols like TLS, SSH, and IPsec require migration to PQC urgently in a safe manner to protect the key agreement from the quantum threat,” says SSH Fellow Ms. Suvi Lampila. "We are pleased to contribute to the NIST PQC migration effort and also looking forward to the next step of migrating to quantum-safe signature algorithms that require even more industry-wide effort,” Lampila concludes.
Pioneering Quantum-Safe Solutions
With a rich heritage spanning more than 28 years in encryption expertise, SSH Communications Security's participation in the NIST PQC migration consortium marks an important milestone in its journey toward securing the digital landscape against quantum threats.
"I am immensely proud that SSH Communications Security stands at the forefront of quantum-safe solutions, safeguarding the future of cybersecurity. Our experts are not only engaged in pioneering quantum computing-resistant solutions but are also driving the search for the most robust algorithms to ensure the security of our customers and society's communications once again. As we join hands with the NIST PQC Migration Consortium, we embark on a journey to shape a quantum-secure world for generations to come," finishes Teemu Tunkelo, CEO of SSH Communications Security.
Additional information on this Consortium can be found at: https://www.nccoe.nist.gov/projects/building-blocks/post-quantum-cryptography
Read more about SSH’s Quantum-Safe Cryptographic Security Solutions: Quantum Safe Cryptography (QSC) Security Solutions | SSH
For further information, please contact:
Teemu Tunkelo, CEO, tel. +358 40 5499605, email Teemu.Tunkelo@ssh.com
Suvi Lampila, SSH Fellow, email Suvi.Lampila@ssh.com
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About SSH
SSH helps organizations safeguard their mission-critical digital assets at rest, in transit, and in use. We have 5,000+ customers worldwide, including 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies and major organizations in the Finance, Government, Retail, and Industrial segment. We are committed to helping our customers secure their business in the age of hybrid cloud and distributed IT and OT solutions. Our Zero Trust solutions offer safe electronic communications and secure access to servers and between servers. Our teams in North America, Europe, and Asia, along with a global network of certified partners, ensure customer success. The company’s shares (SSH1V) are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.ssh.com.
