ETSI launches Covercrypt for post-quantum data security

ETSI has announced the launch of a new post-quantum security standard aimed at safeguarding critical data and communications from future threats.

The specification, titled "Efficient Quantum-Safe Hybrid Key Exchanges with Hidden Access Policies" (TS 104 015), is designed to enhance security mechanisms by ensuring that only authorised users with the correct permissions can access and decrypt sensitive data. It introduces a scheme for Key Encapsulation Mechanisms with Access Control (KEMAC), known as Covercrypt, which provides both pre-quantum and post-quantum security through hybridisation.

The Covercrypt encryption solution is designed to protect against threats posed by quantum computing and presents a high-performance hybrid encryption system, capable of integrating seamlessly into existing commercial security products. By relying on user attributes for session key encapsulation, the system permits only authorised users to retrieve the necessary session keys according to an established policy, while preventing unauthorised access.

Highlighting the system's efficiency, the process of encapsulating and decapsulating session keys requires only hundreds of micro-seconds. This rapid performance places Covercrypt in a favourable position for widespread adoption among organisations seeking secure and efficient solutions to protect their data.

Matt Campagna, Chair of the ETSI working group QSC (Quantum Safe Cryptography), stated, "ETSI's latest specification marks a significant milestone in the transition to post-quantum cryptography. This standard is fundamental to the quantum future, we are empowering organisations to safeguard their sensitive data both for today, and for the decades ahead. The work we've done in the Cyber QSC working group underlines our commitment to providing secure, future proof solutions that can withstand emerging threats, while also helping to build a healthy industrial ecosystem and a sustainable economy."

Organisations are encouraged to begin adopting quantum-resistant encryption technologies to secure their data against potential future threats and to comply with evolving regulatory standards. The ETSI Covercrypt solution is earmarked as a strategic move towards ensuring the sustainability of data security in an era of quantum advancements.

Cosmian is an example of a company implementing the new ETSI standard in its encryption solutions. Chloe Hébant, Rapporteur of the ETSI QSC working group and a cryptographer at Cosmian, remarked, "We're really proud to have been part of the ETSI group to specify that scheme. Our standardized library helped us gain a competitive advantage on the market."