Post-Quantum Cryptography Certification

The Post-Quantum Cryptography Certification is a free advanced-level, 25-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests post-quantum cryptography — why Shor's algorithm threatens RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography, Grover's algorithm and symmetric key sizes, "harvest now, decrypt later" risk, NIST's standards FIPS 203 (ML-KEM), FIPS 204 (ML-DSA) and FIPS 205 (SLH-DSA), lattice problems such as LWE and Module-LWE, hash-based and code-based schemes, key encapsulation versus signatures, key and signature sizes and performance, hybrid key exchange in TLS, crypto-agility, cryptographic inventories and migration planning, NIST IR 8547 transition timelines, side-channel and implementation risks, and quantum key distribution versus PQC — written to NIST's PQC project and FIPS standards for 2026 and 2027. Score 70% or more on its 25 questions to earn a verifiable Post-Quantum Cryptography certificate (SOA-PQC). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Post-Quantum Cryptography project and migration guidance (US National Institute of Standards and Technology), NIST IR 8547: Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards (NIST), FIPS 203: Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism (ML-KEM) (NIST) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Post-Quantum Cryptography Certification, written for 2026 and 2027. It tests the quantum threat, NIST standards, mathematical foundations, migration and deployment and implementation and alternatives with 25 original scenario questions in all, each naming its published source; you get an instant score and a verifiable certificate with a credential ID you can add to LinkedIn.

Read the five skill areas on this page, then take the 25-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Post-Quantum Cryptography certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Post-Quantum Cryptography project and migration guidance (US National Institute of Standards and Technology); NIST IR 8547: Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards (NIST); FIPS 203: Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism (ML-KEM) (NIST); FIPS 204: Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard (ML-DSA) (NIST); FIPS 205: Stateless Hash-Based Digital Signature Standard (SLH-DSA) (NIST). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Five skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: The Quantum Threat (Shor and Grover, Harvest now, decrypt later and Timelines); NIST Standards (ML-KEM, ML-DSA and SLH-DSA and Other schemes); Mathematical Foundations (Lattices, Hash- and code-based and Security assumptions); Migration and Deployment (Inventory and agility, Hybrid deployments and Protocols and PKI); Implementation and Alternatives (Side channels, Validation and QKD versus PQC). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Security architect or cryptography engineer, CISO or security leader planning migration, PKI or identity engineer, Software engineer working on TLS or protocols and Security researcher or student. It suits students at leading universities, career switchers and experienced professionals who want quick, verifiable proof of Post-Quantum Cryptography knowledge in 2026 and 2027.

CS and AI students at MIT, Stanford, CMU, Berkeley, IITs, Tsinghua and ETH are hired on depth beyond tool use: model internals, systems and hardware. Passing earns a founder-signed Science of Apps certificate with a credential ID and QR code that recruiters can verify.

A large, fault-tolerant quantum computer running Shor's algorithm could factor large numbers and compute discrete logarithms efficiently, breaking RSA, Diffie–Hellman and elliptic-curve schemes.

Adversaries can record encrypted traffic today and decrypt it once quantum computers are capable, so data that must stay confidential for many years needs post-quantum protection soon.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

25 questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — with a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Advanced: assumes years in the role or deep specialist knowledge. It has 25 scenario questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — and a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.