Post‑Quantum Cryptography (PQC) is the discipline
focused on designing and standardizing public‑key schemes whose
security does not collapse in the presence of quantum computation.
Instead of relying on factoring or discrete logarithms, PQC
constructions are built on problems for which no efficient classical
or quantum attacks are known.
In practice, PQC algorithms are deployed to preserve long‑term
confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of data and
communications. They are intended to be drop‑in or staged replacements
for existing key‑establishment and digital‑signature mechanisms in
protocols, products, and institutional infrastructures.
Symmetric‑key considerations
While symmetric systems are not broken outright, Grover’s algorithm halves their effective
security strength, requiring expanded key sizes and hardened primitives.