Windows 11 is getting top-level protection against the next generation of quantum cyberattacks

Date:
Tue, 27 May 2025 17:33:00 +0000

Description:
Microsoft adds extra security protections in preparation for future quantum computing attacks.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Microsof t unveils new protections against quantum-powered attacks These updates come to Windows and Linux New tools will continue to evolve to try and match the threat capabilities

Quantum computers currently only exist within specialized laboratories - but its generally understood this will not be the case for long, and the technology could soon be introduced into a number of different industries
like finance, cybersecurity, and even medicine.

The evolution in quantum computing presents new challenges for cybersecurity teams, with the tech theorized to have the potential to break encryption and disrupt contemporary cryptographic algorithms, Microsoft has warned .

To tackle this, Microsoft is introducing a significant milestone in the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) journey by making PQC capabilities available for Windows Insiders, Canary Channel Build 27852 and higher, and Linux, SymCrypt-OpenSSL version 1.9.0.

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This means that customers will be able to begin experimenting with PQC within their operational environments.

For Windows, Microsoft is bringing ML-KEM and ML-DSA for Windows Insiders through updates to the Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) libraries as well as the Certificate and Cryptographic messaging functions.

This aims to help developers prepare for harvest now, decrypt later attacks. The changes correspond with NIST standardised algorithms , but will be continuously developed and updated to meet new requirements.

New changes have also been introduced to Linux, with updates for programmers to use OpenSSLs API surface powered by SymCrypt cryptographic operations. Version 1.9.0 will enable developers to play around with TLS hybrid key exchange to prepare for future threats.

PQC algorithms are relatively new, and it is prudent not to consider the initial generation of PQC algorithms as the definitive solution but rather view this as an evolving field, Microsoft explains.

This underscores the importance of "Crypto Agility" which involves designing solutions to be more resilient to the use of different algorithms and/or upgradable to use future algorithms as the PQ standards evolve.

Researchers believe that quantum computing could be the biggest security threat of all time and able to break even the toughest existing encryptions - so updates to security will be much needed for software firms as the tech develops. You might also like Take a look at our picks for the best malware removal software around Check out our choice for best antivirus software An OpenPGP.js flaw just broke public key cryptography



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/windows-11-is-getting-top-level-protect ion-against-the-next-generation-of-quantum-cyberattacks


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