Is NIST designating a backup algorithm?
No. Based on public comments and discussion, NIST’s AES selection team decided not to designate a “backup” algorithm from among the other four finalists. Some vendors expressed concerns that a backup algorithm would become a de facto requirement in products (for immediate availability in the future), leading to higher implementation costs and a potential decrease in the interoperability of AES products. Also, given the uncertainty of the potential applicability of future breakthroughs in cryptanalysis, it would be unclear whether a designated backup would actually provide any resiliency for the main algorithm selection. Finally, NIST’s AES selection team anticipated that other algorithms (whether specified in Government standards or not) will continue to be available in commercial products. 11.
