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By December 31, 2023, agencies maintaining National Security Systems (NSS) shall implement symmetric-key protections (e.g., High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) exclusion keys or VPN symmetric key solutions) to provide additional protection for quantum-vulnerable key exchanges.

In contrast with PKC [public-key cryptography], the security of symmetric cryptography is not significantly impacted by quantum computers, and with suitable key sizes, existing symmetric algorithms – such as AES – can continue to be used. It is also possible to mitigate the threat to key agreement by using pre-placed symmetric keys in addition to key agreement with conventional PKC. However, this approach brings key management and usability challenges, and is not suitable as a general-purpose solution for Internet communications.

Both symmetric and asymmetric methods require pre-established, secure, authenticated communication channels either for pre-sharing secret keys or root certificates for PKI. Using pre-shared keys, to avoid the quantum threat, may be feasible in certain use cases. Indeed, SIM-based mobile communications already rely upon pre-shared keys to achieve key agreement and authentication between user equipment and the network. In Internet standards, the TLS1.3 protocol supports key establishment based on pre-shared keys. Additionally, the IKEv2 key establishment scheme used in IPsec typically uses pre-shared keys for authentication and allows pre-positioned keys to add quantum safety to key exchanges. … Systems (ERP) … To provide best security, symmetric key methods are recommended (e.g., pre-shared keys). … IETF … the Crypto Forum Research Group of the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) is tasked with providing long-term advice to the IETF on cryptographic algorithms for communication protocols such as TLS, SSH or IPsec. In particular, the design of hybrid key exchange (i.e., a protocol mixing a time-tested standard cryptographic algorithm with a post-quantum one) for TLS is discussed, and several drafts have been published [108,109]. Mechanisms based on symmetric pre-shared keys have also been proposed to authenticate the communication parties in TLS 1.3 or to perform a key exchange in IKEv2.

As the first step and highest priority, we are ensuring the compliance of our existing symmetric key encryption and hash function algorithms. Symmetric algorithms, such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), and hash functions, such as Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), are resilient to quantum attacks, and can therefore still be used in deployed systems. At Microsoft, we are already using protocols based on symmetric encryption, such as Media Access Control Security (MACsec) point-to-point protocol.

Cybersecurity plays a crucial role in ensuring that AI systems are resilient against attempts to alter their use, behaviour, performance or compromise their security properties by malicious third parties exploiting the system’s vulnerabilities. Cyberattacks against AI systems can leverage AI specific assets, such as training data sets (e.g. data poisoning) or trained models (e.g. adversarial attacks), or exploit vulnerabilities in the AI system’s digital assets or the underlying ICT infrastructure. To ensure a level of cybersecurity appropriate to the risks, suitable measures should therefore be taken by the providers of high-risk AI systems, also taking into account as appropriate the underlying ICT infrastructure.