Part I. The Background of the TON Messenger Protocol

We live in an era of rapid technological progress. Not long ago, decentralization and AI felt like something unusual, yet today they're part of everyday life worldwide. The next frontier is quantum computing.

What is PQC and why does it matter?
Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is a new generation of algorithms designed to remain secure even in the presence of powerful quantum computers.

Work on both quantum computers and the mathematical foundations behind them has been ongoing for decades. Progress has been gradual due to scientific and engineering challenges, but as we've seen with AI, breakthroughs can shift the pace dramatically overnight.

In future posts, we'll take a closer look at ML-KEM (formerly known as Kyber), first introduced in 2017 and standardized by NIST as FIPS 203 in 2024.

Why do we need to transition?
Shor's algorithm (1994) can solve integer factorization and discrete logarithms in polynomial time on a large enough quantum computer - rendering RSA, DH, and ECC insecure.
For lattice-based schemes like ML-KEM, however, no effective quantum attacks are currently known.

TON Blockchain and Telegram still rely on these legacy algorithms, but it's safe to assume they're already considering a migration. According to recent NIST/NSA guidance, quantum-vulnerable algorithms at the 112-bit security level will be deprecated around 2030 and prohibited after 2035 in systems that handle national security data.

What’s the real risk?
It's the so-called "harvest now, decrypt later" scenario: attackers can intercept encrypted data today and simply wait until they have the computational power to break it. We believe people's private lives should never be left exposed in this way.

History has shown that decryption capabilities can remain classified and hidden from the public for decades - sometimes as long as 40 years. Whether those tools were just kept "in the right hands" is a matter of debate, isn't it?