Daiwa Securities Group and NEC Announce Proof-of-Concept Results for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in Online Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the proof-of-concept for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technology in preparation for the quantum computing era?

A: This is an experiment to verify the impact of applying cryptographic technology (PQC), which can maintain its security even when powerful quantum computers emerge in the future, to Daiwa Securities' online services. This prepares for future cybersecurity risks.

Q: Why is the introduction of PQC necessary?

A: There is a risk that the cryptographic technologies widely used in current internet communications could be deciphered by powerful quantum computers in the future. As a financial institution, we believe early adoption of PQC is necessary to protect our customers' important information.

Q: What were the findings of this demonstration?

A: It was found that while the impact on communication speed was limited with the introduction of PQC, the amount of data required for encryption (key size) increases, potentially causing a decrease in communication speed or delays depending on the communication environment. It was also suggested that migrating to PQC requires a phased approach and a system for managing cryptographic methods across the entire system.

Q: What are the future plans?

A: Based on the results of this demonstration, Daiwa Securities Group will formulate a policy for the formal adoption of PQC and proceed with strengthening security and building a secure system infrastructure with an eye toward the practical application of quantum computers.