FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Continues Work to Secure a Post-Quantum Cryptography Future

The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to investing in science and technology innovation to solve future problems for our nation, generate jobs and new economic engines, and advance U.S. leadership around the world. While quantum information science (QIS) holds the potential to drive innovations across the American economy, from fields as diverse as materials science and pharmaceuticals to finance and energy, future quantum computers may also have the ability to break some of today’s most common forms of encryption. 

Though a quantum computer powerful enough to break current forms of cryptography does not yet exist, the Biden-Harris Administration is preparing for and mitigating the risks to government and critical infrastructure systems posed by a potential future quantum computer and promoting U.S. and allied leadership in quantum technology. 

To protect against the potential risks to the economic and national security of the United States and our partners, this Administration has remained laser focused—as outlined in President Biden’s National Security Memorandum 10 (NSM-10)—on post-quantum cryptography. Post-quantum cryptography is a foundational tool for assuring data safety and security for the nation and for our future.  

Today, the White House convened government and industry leaders to unveil new Post-Quantum Cryptographic standards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). These standards represent a key milestone in the achievements of the Biden-Harris Administration’s NSM-10 to assure the safety and security of quantum computing for the nation and for our future. These are the first global standards to be released for post-quantum cryptography, underscoring U.S. leadership in quantum technology. 

NIST’s new standards are designed for two essential tasks for which encryption is typically used: general data encryption, used to protect information exchanged across a network or sitting at rest on a computer; and digital signatures, used for identity authentication. These standards replace current cryptographic standards that could be vulnerable to a future quantum computer. These standards allow federal agencies and industry to adopt and integrate these new tools into systems and products. A full description is available here.

This effort builds on other Administration actions to ensure we maintain a competitive economic and security advantage for generations to come, including:

• In 2022, President Biden issued an executive order elevating the National Quantum Initiative Advisory Committee (NQIAC) to a Presidential Advisory Committee. The NQIAC consists of leaders in the field from industry, academia and the Federal Laboratories, and highlights the importance of a whole-of-government approach to QIS.
   
• The Office of Management & Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-23-02, Migrating to Post-Quantum Cryptography, which lays out clear steps for agencies to follow in preparation for migrating to these new NIST cryptography standards. Those steps include conducting a comprehensive and ongoing cryptographic inventory and prioritizing critical and sensitive systems for migration. The approach allows agencies to stay ahead of technological advances and keep their information safe and secure.
   
• OMB released a report on Post-Quantum Cryptography outlining the strategy for migrating systems to post-quantum cryptography to mitigate risks while harnessing the full potential of quantum innovations.
   
• OMB and the Office of Science and Technology Policy held a roundtable with cryptographers, industry, and government agencies to discuss best practices for the adoption of post-quantum cryptography standards.
   
• The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD): Through the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Cybersecurity Strategy released in March 2023, ONCD is working to prepare for the post-quantum future. This includes supporting the implementation of NSM-10 by conducting an inventory of government systems. This inventory will identify where there is vulnerable cryptography and what needs to be prioritized. ONCD is also working internationally with allies to create a cohesive message on the need to implement post-quantum cryptography. This work seeks to drive a collective call to action for government leaders and financial decisionmakers and start the cryptographic transition today.

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