Google tests quantum-resistant TLS via Merkle Tree Certificates
Google outlined a plan to keep HTTPS secure in a post-quantum era by using Merkle Tree Certificates (MTCs) that compress quantum-resistant data into compact proofs. A certificate authority would sign a single Tree Head for potentially millions of certs, with browsers receiving a lightweight inclusion proof instead of bulky post-quantum material (roughly 2.5 KB today vs. 64 bytes). Public transparency logs help prevent rogue certs, and Chrome has already started implementing MTCs, with Cloudflare piloting about 1,000 TLS certs while CAs prepare to adopt the system. An IETF working group on PKI, Logs, and Tree Signatures is coordinating standards to standardize this long-term, aiming to accelerate post-quantum resilience without slowing handshake times.