TII’s Cryptography Research Center advances post-quantum standardization

Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a renowned global scientific research center and the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), has made significant contributions to the standardization of post-quantum cryptographic methods through its Cryptography Research Center (CRC). Recently, CRC actively participated in the call for Additional Post-Quantum Digital Signature Schemes (DSS) initiated by the American National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST). This collaboration aimed to reinforce and expedite the advancement of post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) digital signatures.

NIST’s call for proposals is part of a public process to define quantum-resistant public-key cryptography algorithms for standardization. The objective is to diversify NIST’s portfolio of robust mathematical problems based on structured lattices. In 2022, NIST selected the first set of algorithms to be standardized after soliciting public proposals through the PQC Standardization Process, which began six years earlier. NIST received a total of 50 submissions, out of which 40 were considered complete and compliant with the submission requirements. The complete list of submissions can be found on NIST’s website.

To offer the most promising proposals, TII collaborated with researchers from leading international partner universities spanning North America, Asia, and Europe. Together, they developed a comprehensive suite of DSS based on well-established and resilient mathematical problems that are believed to withstand attacks from quantum computers. The suite includes a diverse range of schemes such as MiRitH (MinRank Problem), PERK (Permutation Kernel Problem), RYDE (Rank Syndrome Decoding Problem), LESS (Code Equivalence Problem), MIRA (MinRank Problem), Biscuit (Multivariate Quadratic Problem), and SQISign (Quaternion Isogeny Path Problem).

Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Chief Researcher at the Cryptography Research Center (CRC), expressed TII’s dedication to advancing PQC through their contribution to this esteemed initiative. She emphasized that this effort aligns with TII’s mission to discover groundbreaking solutions that strengthen the future of digital societies. By addressing security challenges and pushing the boundaries of cryptographic research, TII aims to ensure secure communication and redefine the landscape of cryptography. Dr. Aaraj also highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships with globally renowned universities, which enhance collaborative efforts and contribute to establishing secure and robust cryptographic solutions for a connected world.

TII’s active involvement in augmenting the PQC ecosystem underscores its expertise in the field and emphasizes the significance of academic synergies in adopting a comprehensive approach to drive secure cryptographic solutions.