New Ransomware 'Kyber' Claims Quantum-Safe Encryption
In a first, a ransomware family is confirmed to be quantum-safe
Ars Technica
Image: Ars Technica
The ransomware family Kyber has emerged, claiming to use quantum-safe encryption through the ML-KEM algorithm. This marks the first confirmed use of post-quantum cryptography in ransomware, potentially enhancing security against quantum computer attacks.
- 01Kyber ransomware uses ML-KEM, a post-quantum cryptography standard.
- 02ML-KEM is designed to be resistant to quantum computer attacks.
- 03The ransomware conceals its encryption key using AES-256, which is also quantum-proof.
- 04This is the first confirmed instance of ransomware employing post-quantum cryptography.
- 05The findings were reported by security firm Rapid after reverse-engineering Kyber.
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The Kyber ransomware family has gained attention for its claim of using quantum-safe encryption via the ML-KEM (Module Lattice-based Key Encapsulation Mechanism) algorithm. This encryption method is designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers, which pose a significant threat to traditional cryptographic systems like RSA and Elliptic Curve. According to a report from security firm Rapid, the Windows variant of Kyber utilizes ML-KEM1024, the highest strength version of the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standard. Kyber employs ML-KEM to protect the key used for encrypting victims' data with AES-256, a symmetric encryption standard that is also resistant to quantum attacks. Brett Callow, a threat analyst at Emsisoft, confirmed that this is the first instance of ransomware utilizing PQC, marking a significant development in the ongoing battle against cyber threats.
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