Threshold Call, Previews, Workshop

[Brandao, Luis (IntlAssoc)]

Dear Threshold Crypto friends,

Finally, the NIST Threshold Call (NIST IR 8214C) has been published a couple of days ago: 

https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/ir/8214/c/final 

The call establishes phases for "previews" (Jan, Apr, Jun) and "package" submissions (Oct). Each team interested in a package submission needs to participate in at least one "preview" opportunity, to present (in a writeup and a talk) their plan of upcoming package submission. Later, each package will include Technical Specification, Reference Implementation, and Report on Experimental Evaluation, about one or more crypto-systems.

For the first opportunity of previews, 23 teams submitted 26 "preview writeups".

Now online: https://csrc.nist.gov/Projects/threshold-cryptography/tcall-1 

Every team is encouraged to initiate a new email thread in this forum to announce the crypto-system(s) being prepared for submission, and motivate constructive feedback. 

The corresponding "preview talks" will be given next week (January 26–29), during the NIST Workshop on Multi-Party Threshold Schemes (MPTS) 2026. 

https://csrc.nist.gov/events/2026/mpts2026 

The schedule (covering 40+ talks) is now online. The abstracts will go online this Friday.

These preview writeups are preliminary, being updatable throughout February. Additionally, the two other preview opportunities will be open to presentation of new and revised plans.

The final version of the Threshold Call has several refinements in comparison with the second public draft. For example: three previews instead of two; list of indexed requirements; expanded set of allowed open-source licenses; revised structure of the package documentation; and various clarifications. Some of these updates will be mentioned in the initial session of MPTS 2026.

Looking forward to hearing many of you next week at MPTS.

Regards, 

On behalf of MPTC

--

Luís Brandão

NIST Associate (Foreign Guest Researcher, Contractor via Strativia)