ISO adopts quantum-resistant encryption standard

ISO adopts quantum-resistant encryption standard
ISO adopts quantum-resistant encryption standard

Article References

  • miragenews
    Mirage News
    June 25, 2026

    Warwick Experts Fortify Data Against Quantum Threats | Mirage News

    This month, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a standard for high-security code-based cryptography to keep user data

  • warwick

    June 25, 2026

    Warwick scientists secure your data vs quantum computers

    This month, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a standard for high-security code-based cryptography to keep user data safe against quantum computers, co-designed by Warwick computer scientists. … This month, an international team including Dr Varun Maram from Warwick's Department of Computer Science, took a major step to prevent that scenario, with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) formally adopting a quantum-resistant encryption…

  • classic.mceliece

    June 19, 2026

    Classic McEliece: Intro

    The first code-based public-key cryptosystem was introduced by McEliece in 1978. The public key specifies a random binary Goppa code. … Classic McEliece brings all of this together. It is a KEM designed for IND-CCA2 security at a very high security level, even against quantum computers. The KEM is built conservatively from a PKE designed for OW-CPA security, namely Niederreiter's dual version of McEliece's PKE using binary Goppa codes.

  • classic.mceliece

    April 25, 2025

    NIST – Classic McEliece

    Classic McEliece was submitted in 2017 to NIST's Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project. In 2025, NIST delayed McEliece standardization, in particular writing "Concurrent standardization of Classic McEliece by NIST and ISO risks the creation of incompatible standards" and "After the ISO standardization process has been completed, NIST may consider developing a standard for Classic McEliece based on the ISO standard". … Version:This is version 2025.04.25 of the "NIST" web page.

  • csrc.nist
    Computer Security Division; Information Technology Laboratory; National Institute; Technology; U S Department
    January 3, 2017

    Post-Quantum Cryptography – NIST CSRC

    Short URL: https://www.nist.gov/pqcrypto For a plain-language introduction to post-quantum cryptography, see What Is Post-Quantum Cryptography? PQC Standards Migration to PQC Ongoing PQC Standardization Process NIST’s Post-Quantum…

  • oist

    June 25, 2026

    Cybersecurity for the quantum era: OIST professor among team …

    Classic McEliece has been selected by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) as a cryptographic algorithm capable of securing data in the age of quantum computing.

  • reddit
    Arnet95
    March 11, 2025

    Status Report on the Fourth Round of the NIST Post-Quantum …

    Status Report on the Fourth Round of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Process

  • yp

    April 23, 2025

    2025.04.23: McEliece standardization – cr.yp.to: blog

  • codegic
    Muhammad Wahaj Khan
    January 21, 2026

    PQC Standards and National Readiness – Codegic

    Prepare for post-quantum mandates with a practical checklist covering PKI, crypto-agility, compliance and vendor readiness.

  • pqcc

    July 17, 2025

    International PQC Requirements | Post-Quantum Cryptography …

    NIST still recommends SHA-256 or higher. CNSA 2.0 requires SHA-384 and SHA-512. ANSSI requires SHA-384.

  • ietf
    Simon Josefsson
    April 14, 2024

    Classic McEliece – IETF

    This document specifies Classic McEliece, a Key Encapsulation Method (KEM) designed for IND-CCA2 security, even against quantum computers.

  • datatracker.ietf
    Simon Josefsson

    draft-josefsson-mceliece-05 – Classic McEliece – IETF Datatracker

    This document specifies Classic McEliece, a Key Encapsulation Method (KEM) designed for IND-CCA2 security, even against quantum computers. About This Document This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC. Status information for this document may be found at https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-josefsson-mceliece/. Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at https://gitlab.com/jas/ietf-mceliece.

  • csrc.nist

    September 17, 2024

    [PDF] Classic McEliece: conservative code-based cryptography

  • iso-ne

    May 1, 2026

    [PDF] 2026 Final Draft Load Forecast – ISO New England

    2035

The International Organization for Standardization has formally adopted Classic McEliece, a quantum-resistant encryption standard co-designed by an international team that includes Dr Varun Maram from the University of Warwick’s Department of Computer Science. The adoption, announced this month, marks the first time a code-based cryptographic standard has been formally endorsed by ISO. miragenews.com warwick.ac.uk

A Different Approach to Encryption

Classic McEliece is based on an encryption system first published by Robert J. McEliece in 1978. Rather than relying on mathematical exponentiation as used in RSA — which future quantum computers could potentially crack — it uses error-correcting codes, the same technology employed to transmit data reliably across noisy communication channels. warwick.ac.uk classic.mceliece.org

“Older encryption systems like RSA were essentially built on the assumption that certain math problems are impossibly hard to solve,” Dr Maram explained. “But quantum computers will rewrite those rules.” warwick.ac.uk

The method has withstood cryptographic scrutiny for nearly half a century, giving researchers confidence in its long-term resilience against both classical and quantum attacks. classic.mceliece.org warwick.ac.uk

Industry and Government Backing

Classic McEliece has already gained traction beyond the standards body. Popular VPN service Mullvad VPN has integrated it to protect users’ internet traffic against future quantum threats, while the German Federal Office for Information Security has endorsed it as suitable for “long-term protection of confidential information.” The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, which published its own first set of post-quantum standards in August 2024, is also considering standardizing Classic McEliece, having deferred to ISO’s process to avoid creating incompatible standards. classic.mceliece.org csrc.nist.gov warwick.ac.uk

A Global Effort

The team behind Classic McEliece is international in scope, also including Professor Carlos Cid from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology. The ISO endorsement is expected to accelerate adoption across governments and industries seeking to future-proof sensitive data against quantum computing threats that, while not yet realized, could retroactively compromise information encrypted today. oist.jp miragenews.com

Article References

  • miragenews Mirage News June 25, 2026
    Warwick Experts Fortify Data Against Quantum Threats | Mirage News

    This month, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a standard for high-security code-based cryptography to keep user data

  • warwick June 25, 2026
    Warwick scientists secure your data vs quantum computers

    This month, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has issued a standard for high-security code-based cryptography to keep user data safe against quantum computers, co-designed by Warwick computer scientists. ... This month, an international team including Dr Varun Maram from Warwick's Department of Computer Science, took a major step to prevent that scenario, with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) formally adopting a quantum-resistant encryption...

  • classic.mceliece June 19, 2026
    Classic McEliece: Intro

    The first code-based public-key cryptosystem was introduced by McEliece in 1978. The public key specifies a random binary Goppa code. ... Classic McEliece brings all of this together. It is a KEM designed for IND-CCA2 security at a very high security level, even against quantum computers. The KEM is built conservatively from a PKE designed for OW-CPA security, namely Niederreiter's dual version of McEliece's PKE using binary Goppa codes.

  • classic.mceliece April 25, 2025
    NIST - Classic McEliece

    Classic McEliece was submitted in 2017 to NIST's Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Project. In 2025, NIST delayed McEliece standardization, in particular writing "Concurrent standardization of Classic McEliece by NIST and ISO risks the creation of incompatible standards" and "After the ISO standardization process has been completed, NIST may consider developing a standard for Classic McEliece based on the ISO standard". ... Version:This is version 2025.04.25 of the "NIST" web page.

  • csrc.nist Computer Security Division; Information Technology Laboratory; National Institute; Technology; U S Department January 3, 2017
    Post-Quantum Cryptography - NIST CSRC

    Short URL: https://www.nist.gov/pqcrypto For a plain-language introduction to post-quantum cryptography, see What Is Post-Quantum Cryptography? PQC Standards Migration to PQC Ongoing PQC Standardization Process NIST’s Post-Quantum...

  • oist June 25, 2026
    Cybersecurity for the quantum era: OIST professor among team ...

    Classic McEliece has been selected by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) as a cryptographic algorithm capable of securing data in the age of quantum computing.

  • reddit Arnet95 March 11, 2025
    Status Report on the Fourth Round of the NIST Post-Quantum ...

    Status Report on the Fourth Round of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Process

  • yp April 23, 2025
    2025.04.23: McEliece standardization - cr.yp.to: blog

  • codegic Muhammad Wahaj Khan January 21, 2026
    PQC Standards and National Readiness - Codegic

    Prepare for post-quantum mandates with a practical checklist covering PKI, crypto-agility, compliance and vendor readiness.

  • pqcc July 17, 2025
    International PQC Requirements | Post-Quantum Cryptography ...

    NIST still recommends SHA-256 or higher. CNSA 2.0 requires SHA-384 and SHA-512. ANSSI requires SHA-384.

  • ietf Simon Josefsson April 14, 2024
    Classic McEliece - IETF

    This document specifies Classic McEliece, a Key Encapsulation Method (KEM) designed for IND-CCA2 security, even against quantum computers.

  • datatracker.ietf Simon Josefsson
    draft-josefsson-mceliece-05 - Classic McEliece - IETF Datatracker

    This document specifies Classic McEliece, a Key Encapsulation Method (KEM) designed for IND-CCA2 security, even against quantum computers. About This Document This note is to be removed before publishing as an RFC. Status information for this document may be found at https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-josefsson-mceliece/. Source for this draft and an issue tracker can be found at https://gitlab.com/jas/ietf-mceliece.

  • csrc.nist September 17, 2024
    [PDF] Classic McEliece: conservative code-based cryptography

  • iso-ne May 1, 2026
    [PDF] 2026 Final Draft Load Forecast - ISO New England

    2035