Status report on the second round of the additional digital signature schemes for the NIST post-quantum cryptography standardization process

This report describes the evaluation criteria and selection process of the Second Round of the Additional Digital Signatures for the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)Standardization Process, which will identify public-key digital signature algorithms for potential standardization to protect sensitive information into the foreseeable future, including after the advent of quantum computers. Any signature scheme that is eventually selected will augment FIPS 204, Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard; FIPS205, Stateless Hash-Based Digital Signature Standard; FIPS 186-5, Digital Signature Standard (DSS); and SP 800-208, Recommendation for Stateful Hash-Based Signature Schemes. Based on public feedback and internal reviews of the second-round candidates, NIST has selected nine candidate algorithms to move forward to the third round ofevaluation: FAEST, HAWK, MAYO, MQOM, QR-UOV, SDitH, SNOVA, SQIsign, and UOV.