‘Today we are happy to announce the first step in advancing quantum resistance for the Signal Protocol: an upgrade to the X3DH specification which we are calling PQXDH. With this upgrade, we are adding a layer of protection against the threat of a quantum computer being built in the future that is powerful enough to break current encryption standards.’

  • SturgiesYrFase@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    But does that actually give decent protection against quantum decryption?
    I don’t actually expect you to answer that question, it’s pretty pertinent though.

    • ᗪᗩᗰᑎ@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      From https://signal.org/docs/specifications/pqxdh/#passive-quantum-adversaries

      PQXDH is designed to prevent “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks by adversaries with access to a quantum computer capable of computing discrete logarithms in curve.

      Also:

      PQXDH is not designed to provide protection against active quantum attackers.


      Basically this makes it pointless to collect any data now with the intent to decrypt it in the future - e.g. the NSA collecting all your encrypted messages to decrypt them all in 5-10 years once they have a capable quantum computer.

      It does not protect against an active quantum attacker - of which there are currently none, so work in the field is likely expected to continue.

      • SturgiesYrFase@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        OK, cool, thanks for the disambiguation. So kinda actual protection, but at the same time lip service. I’ll take that.

        • LollerCorleone@kbin.socialOP
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          1 year ago

          Also remember that this is only a layer of added protection. Work on this will continue. But this is more than what any other player in this market space currently offers.