【The US NIST Proposes to Expand AES Encryption Standards to Address Quantum Threats】Golden Finance reports that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently proposed to unify the block and key lengths of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to 256 bits to meet the encryption needs under big data processing and quantum computing threats. Currently, AES uses a 128-bit block and supports key lengths of 128, 192, and 256 bits. NIST states that increasing the block and key lengths will help enhance resistance to quantum computing and ensure the security of encryption systems. Meanwhile, other quantum-safe solutions are being tested, including post-quantum cryptography experiments completed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Bank of France. Although the quantum computing threat may take decades to materialize, experts are calling for preparations for encryption systems.