Today we're announcing a new program in Chrome to make HTTPS certificates secure against quantum computers. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) recently created a working group, PKI, Logs, And Tree Signatures (“PLANTS”), aiming to address the performance and bandwidth challenges that the increased size of quantum-resistant cryptography introduces into TLS connections requiring Certificate T...
**Steelman:** Chrome’s initiative to adopt Merkle Tree Certificates (MTCs) is a forward-thinking response to the looming threat of quantum computing. By replacing bulky X.509 certificate chains with lightweight Merkle proofs, the proposal addresses a critical bottleneck in post-quantum cryptography—bandwidth and performance. The emphasis on transparency by design (via public tree inclusion) and the phased rollout demonstrate a measured approach to ecosystem-wide adoption. Credit is due for ackno...