Google is replacing the KYBER protocol, which has been used in the Chrome browser for years. The company announced that it will replace KYBER, used for browser security since 2021, with ML-KEM to provide stronger defense against the rapidly advancing quantum computing technologies. This move is seen as a significant measure to guard against future cryptographic threats.

Google Chrome Bids Farewell to KYBER!

According to an announcement by Chrome team members David Adrian, David Benjamin, Bob Beck, and Devon O’Brien, the integration of the new protocol will be completed with Chrome’s version 131. This version is expected to be released in early November 2024. Due to the incompatibility between KYBER and ML-KEM, Google has officially stated that it will retire the old protocol.

The new security protocol, ML-KEM, is part of a post-quantum key exchange mechanism specifically designed to address the impact quantum computers might have on cryptography. Google notes that this transition is based on new encryption algorithms resulting from eight years of work by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

NIST’s new algorithms aim to secure current systems against potential attacks by quantum computers in the future. Alongside Google, Microsoft is also planning a similar change, preparing for the post-quantum world by adding ML-KEM support to its cryptographic library, SymCrypt.

In addition to Google Chrome, hardware manufacturers like Yubico are also taking significant steps to close security vulnerabilities. Yubico announced that it would not be able to update its older devices due to a vulnerability discovered in Infineon’s cryptographic library, leaving those devices continually at risk. This situation could expose the devices to attacks that require physical access.

Google’s shift from KYBER to ML-KEM is seen as a crucial step in the world of digital security, signaling the development of a more resilient system against the potential risks posed by quantum computers.