The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the United States recently proposed to uniformly expand the block and key length 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 stated that increasing the block and key lengths helps enhance the capability against quantum computing and ensures the security of encryption systems.

At the same time, other quantum-safe solutions are being tested, including post-quantum cryptography experiments completed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Central Bank of France. Although the threat of quantum computing may take decades to materialize, experts are calling for preparation for encryption systems.