HQC is SandboxAQ’s second co-invented cryptographic algorithm selected by NIST, reinforcing its leadership in quantum-resistant cybersecurity.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has officially selected the Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC) algorithm as one of its post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) standards. Developed with contributions from SandboxAQ, HQC joins a suite of five algorithms designed to secure global communications against future quantum threats.
This marks the second major cryptographic contribution from SandboxAQ, following its involvement in the SPHINCS+ algorithm. HQC is a key encapsulation mechanism that provides quantum-resistant encryption by leveraging error-correcting codes, ensuring data security beyond the lifespan of current encryption methods like RSA and ECC.
“HQC has foundations in coding theory that offer strong theoretical and practical protection against quantum decryption methods,” said Taher Elgamal, senior advisor at SandboxAQ. “With SPHINCS+ and HQC both standardized by NIST, SandboxAQ has solidified its leadership in developing effective PQC solutions for enterprises and governments.”
