Post-quantum security spreads across digital identity infrastructure

Post-quantum cryptography is beginning to spread across the digital identity stack, with vendors adding quantum-resistant protection to mobile credentials, PKI, secure hardware and developer platforms.

Fobi AI, WISeKey, and Atsign announced updates this week that illustrate how different parts of the digital identity ecosystem are preparing for the transition.

In 2024, NIST standardized ML-KEM for shared secrets and ML-DSA and SLH-DSA for digital signatures.

But traditional identity systems use public-key cryptography to protect personal and sensitive information and authenticate credentials, devices, and transactions.

Information captured today could eventually be decrypted. Separately, vulnerable signing algorithms could enable attackers to forge credentials that appear authentic.

At the credential layer, Fobi describes AltID 3.0 as a mobile platform that converts KYC results into credentials that confirm identity, age, authorization, location, and time without disclosing the personal data.

WISeKey advances the proposition toward a trust infrastructure by connecting its WISeID platform to the company’s PKI and SEALSQ post-quantum hardware.

The proposed Know Your AI model would give an AI agent a verifiable identity that describes its operator, model, permissions, and policies.