The National Institute of Standards and Technology published final standards under FIPS 203, FIPS 204, and FIPS 205. They specify algorithms for key encapsulation and digital signatures. The standards are designed to protect encryption from future quantum computers.
Organizations are encouraged to begin inventorying cryptographic systems and planning migration. NIST said the algorithms were selected through a multiyear public competition. Implementation libraries are already appearing in major software projects.
The US government has set timelines for federal agencies to transition to post quantum algorithms. Security researchers caution that the migration will take years because encryption is embedded across networks and devices.