Microsoft Discusses Its ‘Post-Quantum Cryptography’ Efforts & Philosophy

(Microsoft.Blog) Microsoft discusses its research and engineering work focusing on how private information and communications will be protected when more powerful computers, such as quantum computers, which can break that cryptography are available.
Microsoft explains the work is open, open-source, and conducted in collaboration with academic and industry partners. The goal is robust, trusted, tested and standardized post-quantum cryptosystems.
The work of developing new cryptosystems that are quantum-resistant must be done openly, in full view of cryptographers, organizations, the public, and governments around the world, to ensure that the new standards emerging have been well vetted by the community, and to ensure that there is international support.
And lastly, Microsoft stresses that all this must be done quickly because we don’t know when today’s classic cryptography will be broken. It’s difficult and time-consuming to pull and replace existing cryptography from production software. Add to all that the fact that someone could store existing encrypted data and unlock it in the future once they have a quantum computer, and our task becomes even more urgent.
Microsoft is focused first on the NIST Post-Quantum Project, which asks for cryptographers around the world to submit candidates for subsequent peer review and analysis.