DLR and BSI’s QUANTITY Initiative To Strengthen Cryptographic Security Against Quantum Algorithms

Insider Brief:

• The German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR)have launched QUANTITY to evaluate cryptographic security as quantum computing advances. The project assesses quantum algorithm impacts on cryptanalysis and develops defensive measures.

• QUANTITY bridges research and application by analyzing how quantum algorithms accelerate cryptanalysis, extending beyond Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms to assess broader quantum threats.

• The project integrates findings into security frameworks, helping businesses and governments adapt encryption standards proactively before current methods become obsolete.

PRESS RELEASE — According to a recent release, the German Federal Office for Information Security and the German Aerospace Center have launched QUANTITY, a strategic initiative to evaluate cryptographic security alongside the active development of quantum computing. The project, which runs until June 2026, focuses on assessing the impact of quantum algorithms on cryptanalysis and developing defensive measures to protect sensitive data.

Cryptographic security is a moving target. “There is no such thing as security at a standstill,” the release states, emphasizing the need for continuous adaptation. With quantum computers advancing, ensuring that encryption systems remain resilient against new attack methods is a relevant priority.

From Theory to Practice in Quantum Cryptanalysis

QUANTITY is designed to eliminate the disconnect between theoretical cryptographic research and practical security applications. As noted in the release, the project investigates how quantum algorithms can accelerate classical cryptanalysis methods and evaluates their impact on cryptosystems that are currently considered quantum-resistant.

According to the official project page, modern cryptosystems are deemed quantum-resistant if they can withstand attacks from well-known quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s. However, this definition only accounts for a limited set of possible quantum attacks. QUANTITY extends the scope by analyzing additional cryptographically relevant quantum algorithms and developing new quantum-assisted cryptanalysis techniques to test and validate encryption security.

A recent BSI report, Status of Quantum Computer Development, estimates that cryptographically relevant quantum computers could emerge within 16 years—possibly sooner. Given this timeline, businesses, governments, and researchers are encouraged to act now to prepare secure cryptosystems before current encryption methods become obsolete.

DLR’s Institute of Communications and Navigation is leading the project in collaboration with HQS Quantum Simulations, a startup specializing in quantum algorithms and simulations. HQS will contribute its expertise to develop and test cryptanalysis applications using quantum hardware.

Assessing and Strengthening Encryption

One central objective of QUANTITY is to evaluate how quantum-assisted cryptanalysis can compromise encryption and to develop new countermeasures. According to the official project page, cryptographic security assessments must consider not only classical attacks but also unexpected quantum techniques that could reduce the complexity of breaking encryption systems. The project will analyze how quantum algorithms can speed up cryptanalysis and apply these findings to assess the long-term security of cryptosystems.

As the release notes, QUANTITY will also integrate research findings into security frameworks, enabling government agencies and industry to proactively adapt encryption standards. BSI brings decades of expertise in cryptanalysis and quantum algorithms to the project, ensuring that evaluations find the balance between what is scientifically rigorous and what is practical.

Towards Proactive Strategies

Advances in quantum computing may pose a direct threat to asymmetric cryptosystems like RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and elliptic curve cryptography, which Shor’s algorithm could break entirely. By investigating cryptographically relevant quantum algorithms and developing proof-of-concept implementations, QUANTITY may help define encryption strategies post-quantum. As the official project page highlights, encryption security cannot rely solely on resisting Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms—other quantum attack methods must also be anticipated.