NIST Selects HQC as Backup Post-Quantum Encryption Algorithm

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has selected HQC (Hamming Quasi-Cyclic) as a backup algorithm for post-quantum encryption, supplementing the primary ML-KEM algorithm standardized in 2024. HQC, based on error-correcting codes, provides a mathematically distinct alternative to ML-KEM, which relies on structured lattices. This selection ensures a second line of defense in case vulnerabilities are discovered in ML-KEM. NIST plans to release […]

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