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ALT-33 · Paper · 23 Oct 2026

The first post-quantum standards, explained

In August 2024 NIST published FIPS 203, 204 and 205 — the first standards for encryption and signatures meant to survive quantum computers. What each one is, and why migration should start before the computers exist.

Timeline
  1. 2016NIST opens its post-quantum competition.
  2. Jul 2022Kyber, Dilithium, Falcon and SPHINCS+ selected for standardisation.
  3. 13 Aug 2024FIPS 203, 204 and 205 published.
  4. Mar 2025HQC selected as a second, code-based key-establishment algorithm.

What each standard is for

  • ML-KEM (FIPS 203): agree on a shared secret key — the part of TLS most exposed to recording today.
  • ML-DSA (FIPS 204): general-purpose digital signatures.
  • SLH-DSA (FIPS 205): slower, larger signatures whose security rests only on hash functions — insurance if lattice assumptions fail.

Hybrid first

Most deployments combine a classical algorithm with a post-quantum one, so the connection is safe if either holds. Major browsers and TLS libraries already negotiate hybrid X25519 + ML-KEM key exchange by default.

Our reading

Analysis — Altumptic's interpretation of the sources below.

  • Encryption needs migrating first; signatures can follow, because forging needs a quantum computer at the time of use.
  • Keeping a backup scheme on different mathematics is a lesson from SIKE's sudden break.
  • Crypto-agility — swapping algorithms without redesign — is the real deliverable.

What it means for you

  1. Inventory where your systems use RSA, ECDH and ECDSA, including in vendors' products.
  2. Enable hybrid post-quantum key exchange in TLS where your stack supports it.
  3. Prefer protocols and formats that carry algorithm identifiers.

Sources

  1. NIST — NIST releases first 3 finalized post-quantum encryption standards (Aug 2024)
  2. NIST — FIPS 203, Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism Standard
  3. NIST — HQC selected for standardization (Mar 2025)

Altumptic was not involved in this research. Figures are as published by the sources above.

Cite this entry

Altumptic Lab (2026). ALT-33 — The first post-quantum standards, explained. 23 Oct 2026. altumptic.com/research/nist-pqc-standards-2024