Recently, a reporter learned from the WAPI Industry Alliance that at the ISO/IEC JTC1/SC6 (Systems Interconnection and Information Exchange) meeting held in Stockholm, Sweden, Chinese experts submitted a proposal on how to design communication network security protocols resistant to quantum attacks, which was unanimously approved at the conference. The meeting resolved to establish a preparatory working project, with Chinese experts taking the lead in advancing the development of protocol design guidelines.

With the advent of the quantum era, existing communication network security protocols are no longer secure. The proposal submitted by China addressing protocol design will facilitate a smoother transition for global data communication systems from the traditional cryptographic algorithm era to the post-quantum cryptographic algorithm era, thereby mitigating the significant security threats posed by quantum computers to communication systems that currently use traditional public key infrastructures.

Reports indicate that as quantum computing advances, global communication protocols and systems based on traditional cryptographic algorithms are facing disruptive challenges. Although there is no definitive timeline for the release of commercial quantum computers, the challenges they pose to global cyberspace are already tangible. Some attackers have begun collecting and storing critical data for future decryption using quantum computers to obtain valuable information.

“In response to the security challenges posed by quantum computers, global standard organizations and various countries are advancing action plans. The international proposal submitted by Chinese experts aims to guide the global communication network's transition to post-quantum cryptography,” said Zhang Lulu, Secretary-General of the WAPI Industry Alliance.

It is reported that the WAPI Industry Alliance participated in the proposal validation, with Xidian Jietong Company being the main technical contributor to the proposal.

According to Cao Jun, General Manager of Xidian Jietong Company, the company began researching network security protocols resistant to quantum attacks several years ago. This formal submission of an international proposal marks China's contribution toward building a community with a shared future in cyberspace through technological innovation in the historical process of transitioning to the post-quantum era.

At the 2024 Quantum Technology Standards and Industrialization Conference, the reporter learned that Chinese companies, including Xidian Jietong, have already initiated practical design efforts for communication security protocols resistant to quantum attacks in the field of wireless local area networks, and have released a new generation of WAPI technology with quantum attack resistance capabilities.