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The implication for symmetric ciphers is that key lengths will need to be doubled. 128-bit ciphers like standard AES have 64-bit security against a quantum atta
by Zaak 9y ago
The implication for symmetric ciphers is that key lengths will need to be doubled. 128-bit ciphers like standard AES have 64-bit security against a quantum attack. I expect to see 256-bit keys adopted widely in the not-too-distant future.
I don't know off the top of my head what the implication for key exchange would be, but I know that anything that depends on the discrete logarithm problem for security is vulnerable to a quantum attack. I believe that includes all forms of Diffie-Hellman.
- sampo 9y agoWith a quantum computer and Grover's algorithm, 128-bit AES is breakable in 2^64 steps. But the quantum computer still needs to have a 128-bit quantum memory.
- dsacco 9y agoI’m not sure if you mean to be disagreeing here or simply adding color, but what you’re saying is the same as the parent comment. Grover’s algorithm allows symmetric key recovery for n bits in 2^(n/2) steps; as the parent commenter said, symmetric algorithm key sizes need to be doubled. A break in 2^64 steps is the same as 64-bit security, so changing the key size to 256-bit will offer 128 bits of security.
- sampo 9y agoJust wanted to clarify that in this case, 64-bit quantum computer is not enough to break said 64-bit security, still need 128 bits of memory.