Direction de la Science, de la technologie et de l'innovation
Key concepts and current technical trends in cryptography for policy makers
This report introduces cryptography to policy makers and includes key concepts such
as symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, public key infrastructure, and end-to-end
encryption. It discusses advancements in homomorphic encryption, which allows computations
to be performed on encrypted data without decrypting it first and accessing the secret
key. Often described as “the holy grail of cryptography”, homomorphic encryption remains
a promising area of research rather than a fully developed technology. The report
also addresses quantum technologies, which could pose a threat to the foundations
of public key cryptography, potentially undermining trust in the digital ecosystem.
While current quantum computers are far from causing such disruptions, a transition
to quantum-resistant (or post-quantum) cryptography is essential today to address
their future impact. Additionally, quantum cryptography shows significant promise
for secure communications but is not yet suitable for sensitive applications.