ML-DSA·Digital signature·NIST level 5

ML-DSA-87

ML-DSA (FIPS 204) is a lattice-based digital signature scheme, standardized by NIST in August 2024. Built on Module Learning With Errors, it offers fast verification and moderate signature sizes.

Latest run2026-09-21 11:47 UTC

commit6ed429a

CPU: Xeon Platinum 8488C
Measured on: c7i.large
OS / Kernel: 24.04.4 LTS
liboqs: 0.15.0
Wall clock: 32m 32s
CPU steal: <0.01%

Parameters

Family: ML-DSA
Parameter set: 87
Public key: 2.53 KB
Private key: 4.78 KB
Signature: 4.52 KB
Iterations / op: 1,000
liboqs key: ML-DSA-87

Regulatory approval status

Whether this algorithm family is approved/recommended for use under three regimes. Every badge links to its source — click through before citing this elsewhere.

CNSA 2.0 (US/NSA)Approved

CNSA 2.0 replaces ECDSA/RSA digital signatures with ML-DSA.

NSA CNSA 2.0 Cybersecurity Advisory · not directly verified this session, spot-check the source

BSI TR-02102-1 (DE)Recommended

Covered under §5.3.4 "Quantum-Safe Signature Schemes" (current 2026-01 version).

BSI TR-02102-1, Version 2026-01 · not directly verified this session, spot-check the source

ANSSI (FR)Conditional

Same recommendation pattern as ML-KEM: highest available NIST level (5 preferred, else 3), standardized parameters only.

ANSSI views on the Post-Quantum Cryptography transition (2023 follow up), §2

keygenGenerate a fresh key pair.

131 of 131 runs

Mean: 43.5 µs
95% CI on mean: ±0.62%
Median: 42.8 µs
p95: 51.5 µs
p99: 60.6 µs
Stdev: 4.3 µs
Min: 40.7 µs
Ops/sec: 22,976

Mean is known to 43.25–43.79 µs across 1,000 iterations. A 95% confidence interval on the mean, not a prediction interval for a single operation. It says how precisely the average is known from this run's samples; the standard deviation says how much the individual samples scattered.

Mean over time

Click any point to view the GitHub Actions run that produced it.

signProduce a signature over a message using the private key.

131 of 131 runs

Mean: 112.2 µs
95% CI on mean: ±3.34%
Median: 93.6 µs
p95: 223.6 µs
p99: 325.9 µs
Stdev: 60.4 µs
Min: 56.9 µs
Ops/sec: 8,916

Mean is known to 108.41–115.89 µs across 1,000 iterations. A 95% confidence interval on the mean, not a prediction interval for a single operation. It says how precisely the average is known from this run's samples; the standard deviation says how much the individual samples scattered.

Mean over time

Click any point to view the GitHub Actions run that produced it.

verifyVerify a signature against a message and public key.

131 of 131 runs

Mean: 44.5 µs
95% CI on mean: ±0.43%
Median: 43.9 µs
p95: 51.9 µs
p99: 56.3 µs
Stdev: 3.1 µs
Min: 42.2 µs
Ops/sec: 22,496

Mean is known to 44.26–44.65 µs across 1,000 iterations. A 95% confidence interval on the mean, not a prediction interval for a single operation. It says how precisely the average is known from this run's samples; the standard deviation says how much the individual samples scattered.

Mean over time

Click any point to view the GitHub Actions run that produced it.