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Hitachi Solutions' Journey Towards Secure Quantum Computing

In anticipation of the quantum computing era, Hitachi Solutions has embarked on a critical initiative to test the technologies related to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). With quantum computing advancing rapidly, concerns have been raised regarding the vulnerabilities of current encryption methods, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography, which could potentially be decoded in the near future. To address this impending threat, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is in the process of standardizing algorithms that are believed to resist quantum decryption, including the likes of ML-KEM and ML-DSA.

As the financial sector starts to recognize the urgency of transitioning to PQC by the mid-2030s, as recommended by Japan's Financial Services Agency, Hitachi Solutions is at the forefront of this change. Starting from April 2025, the company plans to offer a comprehensive support service that encompasses the identification of encryption techniques utilized in existing systems, performing risk assessments, and proposing effective strategies for transitioning to PQC.

Technical Validation and Results

The technical validation is set to take place from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. The objective is to facilitate a safe and efficient transition from existing encryption methods to PQC by choosing the right implementation libraries that will minimally impact current systems while maximizing operational efficiency. Through extensive evaluations of multiple libraries, Hitachi Solutions seeks to support practical decision-making regarding which libraries to adopt based on their performance in terms of processing time, memory usage, and communication volume.

The validation focuses heavily on two critical components of encryption communication: key exchange and digital signatures. These elements are essential for securely sharing common secret keys and validating the authenticity of data. By assessing the performance of these components separately, the team can correctly gauge their effects on the overall system.

The validation tests will be conducted in a controlled environment using virtual machines to ensure repeatable results. Some key aspects of the validation include:
1. Comparison of performance metrics of existing encryption (RSA and ECDSA) with PQC in terms of key exchange and digital signing.
2. Performance evaluation of four different libraries implementing PQC under identical conditions.
3. Assessment of TLS communication metrics, comparing existing encryption with hybrid encryption that combines both traditional and PQC methods.

Key Findings

• - Key Exchange Performance: PQC showed up to a twentyfold increase in speed during key exchanges compared to traditional methods, which is a significant breakthrough. However, in the case of digital signatures, the processing times between PQC and traditional methods remained comparable.
• - Library Variances: Among the selected libraries, key exchange performance differed minimally, with a variation of only up to 0.08 milliseconds. Conversely, there were stark differences in digital signature processing times ranging from 0.09 to 1.02 milliseconds, demonstrating an elevenfold discrepancy in performance.
• - TLS Communication: While some tasks showed variances, the overall difference remained about 0.66 milliseconds, with an increase of approximately 1KB in data size for the hybrid encryption method.

Evaluating the Results

The performance evaluation reassured that transitioning to PQC would not lead to significant performance degradation, which is crucial for maintaining system efficiency. It was noted that while the difference in performance for key exchanges was marginal across libraries, there was substantial variance in the performance of digital signatures, which emphasizes the importance of selecting a high-performing library for systems that demand frequent digital signature processing. Furthermore, considerations such as programming language compatibility and vendor support will also play a pivotal role in the library selection process for the actual migration.

Background Significance

With the impending quantum computing era bringing safety concerns regarding public key encryption, organizations are now motivated to enhance security measures against potential threats like Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL) attacks that could expose current encrypted data in the future. Amidst this backdrop, Hitachi Solutions intends to commence support services for the transition to PQC from October 2025, addressing specific inquiries regarding performance impacts and library selection in the context of existing systems.

Hitachi Solutions has nearly three decades of expertise in developing encryption technologies and is on the move to transform this knowledge into robust solutions that cater to new safety challenges posed by quantum computing. The firm aims to create a secure environment where businesses can confidently transition to PQC while ensuring their systems remain resilient against evolving threats.

About the PQC Transition Support Services

For more information about Hitachi Solutions and their PQC transition support services, visit their official website here. Hitachi Solutions leverages advanced digital technologies to provide tailored solutions that drive digital transformation, contributing to a safer and sustainable societal growth.

For inquiries regarding evaluation results, please contact Koho at Hitachi Solutions Corp. at [email protected].