The Bank of Italy published a paper on the practical implementation of a quantum-safe public key infrastructure (PKI) in a payment systems environment, setting out the main challenges and critical issues in migrating to a quantum-resistant PKI architecture. The analysis frames PKI-based digital certification services as foundational to the secure functioning of payment systems and financial market infrastructures and examines the transition risks posed by future quantum computers that could break current classical cryptographic schemes. It presents a proof of concept using quantum-safe cryptographic algorithms, finding performance to be satisfactory but noting that current PKI software solutions are not yet fully compatible with quantum-safe algorithms available on the market, implying further adaptation will be needed to align with emerging standards and support wider adoption.
Bank of Italy 2025-09-29
Bank of Italy publishes quantum-safe PKI proof of concept for payment systems and highlights software compatibility gaps
The Bank of Italy released a paper on implementing a quantum-safe public key infrastructure (PKI) in payment systems, highlighting challenges in transitioning to a quantum-resistant architecture. The study underscores the foundational role of PKI-based digital certification in secure payment systems and addresses risks from quantum computers. It concludes that while quantum-safe algorithms perform well, existing PKI software needs adaptation to align with emerging standards.