Kyber ransomware becomes first to use quantum-safe encryption
Original: In a first, a ransomware family is confirmed to be quantum-safe
Why This Matters
First confirmed use of quantum-resistant encryption in ransomware signals evolution of cyberthreat tactics
Security firm Rapid7 confirmed that Kyber ransomware uses ML-KEM1024, a post-quantum cryptography standard designed to resist quantum computer attacks. The ransomware encrypts victim files with AES-256 and uses ML-KEM to protect the encryption key.
Rapid7 reverse-engineered the Kyber ransomware family, active since September 2025, and found it uses ML-KEM1024, the highest strength version of the post-quantum cryptography standard developed by NIST. The ransomware uses ML-KEM to conceal keys for AES-256 file encryption. Brett Callow of FTI Consulting confirmed this as the first verified case of ransomware implementing post-quantum cryptography. However, researchers noted there's no practical benefit since quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption are at least three years away. A VMware variant claims to use ML-KEM but actually uses RSA-4096. Rapid7's Anna Širokova suggests the implementation is primarily for marketing purposes, making the encryption sound more intimidating to non-technical victims while requiring minimal development effort.