It can make you do crazy things. Like trusting the National Security Agency (NSA) to help choose your post-quantum cryptography standards. Yes, that’s right . The same agency that has been caught spying on us for decades is now helping us protect our data from quantum computers.

Not only are they helping us with the selection process, but they also have a vested interest in which algorithms get chosen. You see, NIST (the National Institute of Standards and Technology) has been tasked by Congress to select these standards for use by federal agencies. And guess who gets to provide input into that decision? The NSA!

Now, some might say this is a conflict of interest. But the NSA assures us that they are only providing technical expertise and have no ulterior motives. They just want what’s best for America (and maybe the world). And who could argue with that?

So far, so good right? Well, not exactly. You see, there is a bit of a catch. The NSA has been accused of influencing the selection process in favor of their own algorithms. Specifically, they have been pushing for the use of lattice-based cryptography over other post-quantum options like code-based and hash-based schemes.

But why would the NSA do this? Well, it just so happens that they are heavily invested in lattice-based research (both financially and intellectually). And let’s face it, if their algorithms get chosen, they stand to benefit greatly from any future sales or licensing deals.

Now, some might say that this is a bit of a conflict of interest. But the NSA assures us that they are only providing technical expertise and have no ulterior motives. They just want what’s best for America (and maybe the world). And who could argue with that?

Not only is the NSA pushing for their own algorithms, but they also seem to be dragging their feet on the selection process itself. According to some sources, they have been slowing down the review process in order to give themselves an advantage over other competitors.

And let’s not forget about the recent revelations that the NSA has been spying on foreign governments and companies for years. This could potentially put them at odds with certain post-quantum cryptography standards, which rely heavily on international cooperation and trust.

So what can we do to ensure a fair and transparent selection process? Well, some have suggested that Congress should remove the NSA from the decision-making process altogether. Others have called for greater oversight and transparency in order to prevent any potential conflicts of interest.

But let’s be real here . The NSA is not going anywhere anytime soon. And as long as they are involved, we can expect more love stories like this one. But hey, at least it’s better than a breakup right?