UAE has built the first national and sovereign crypto library at the cryptography research centre in Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII). The milestone is set to enable the country to safeguard vital and confidential sources of information. The library is a collection of algorithms that cryptographers use in a specific order to safeguard confidential and high-security information.

The development follows a series of rapid announcements at the TII since the first Advanced Technology Research Council board meeting in August 2020.

Making the announcement, Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of the ATRC, said, The ever-evolving sophistication of cyber attacks should not be taken for granted. By developing a national crypto library in the UAE and integrating this within critical digital infrastructure, we can increase our security levels and build sovereign capability simultaneously.

Researchers at the CRC, one of Technology Innovation Institutes initial seven dedicated research centers, have already released multiple versions of the crypto library and are working on its seamless integration into the UAEs critical digital infrastructure.

The CRC currently employs and collaborates with scientists in multiple crucial fields of cryptography such as post-quantum cryptography (PQC), hardware-based cryptography, lightweight cryptography, cryptanalysis, cryptographic protocols, and cloud encryption schemes, amongst others. It is also one of the few global centers that brings together theoretical and applied cryptographers in a research-oriented setting for innovative outcomes.

By leveraging a combination of custom symmetric and asymmetric cryptographic primitives, the national crypto library is designed, developed and tested to protect sensitive data and information.

Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Chief Researcher at the CRC, stated, The integration of the National Crypto Library with live systems will enable a more fluid security strategy across critical data-sensitive sectors such as finance, healthcare, and telecommunications.

The TII is a pioneering global research and development center that focuses on applied research and new-age technology capabilities. It has seven initial dedicated research centers in quantum, autonomous robotics, cryptography, advanced materials, digital security, directed energy and secure systems.