A stolen laptop with an unencrypted drive hands over every file on it the moment someone pulls the SSD and plugs it into another machine. No password prompt, no login screen, nothing to bypass. Full-disk and file-level encryption close that gap, and in 2026 the tools to do it are free, built into every major operating system, and faster than most people assume. This tutorial covers encrypting files on Windows, macOS, and Linux, protecting individual files with VeraCrypt and GPG, and locking down what you store in the cloud, with the exact commands, common mistakes, and troubleshooting steps you’ll need along the way.
Why File Encryption Still Matters in 2026
Ransomware groups don’t just encrypt your files anymore — most double-extort by stealing a copy of your data before locking it, then threatening to publish it regardless of whether you pay. If that stolen data was already encrypted at rest, the leverage disappears: attackers get a pile of unreadable ciphertext instead of usable documents, customer records, or source code. The same logic applies to lost or stolen devices. A laptop with full-disk encryption enabled is, for practical purposes, a brick to whoever finds it without the password. One without it is an open filing cabinet.
The tooling landscape has also shifted meaningfully in 2026. VeraCrypt, the most widely used free disk-encryption utility, shipped version 1.26.29 on June 9, 2026. GnuPG (GPG), the standard for file-level and email encryption, released version 2.5.21 on July 2, 2026 — notably adding Kyber support as the project begins its transition toward post-quantum cryptography, while the older 2.4 branch reaches end of life. On the standards side, NIST finalized its first three post-quantum cryptography standards (FIPS 203, 204, and 205) back in August 2024, and selected a fifth algorithm, HQC, for standardization in March 2025. Mainstream disk-encryption formats like BitLocker, FileVault, and LUKS still rely on classical AES in 2026, but the command-line tools you’ll use for file-level encryption are starting to build in quantum-resistant options ahead of that eventual shift.
Prerequisites and Versions
Here’s what you need before starting, organized by platform:
- Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education for full BitLocker (Windows 11 Home gets simplified “Device Encryption” instead) with a TPM 2.0 chip, which is a baseline requirement for Windows 11 hardware
- macOS Sonoma or Sequoia with FileVault available out of the box, plus an Apple ID for Advanced Data Protection on iCloud
- Any modern Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian) with LUKS2 support built into the installer
- VeraCrypt 1.26.29 or later for cross-platform container and full-disk encryption
- GnuPG 2.5.21 or later for file-level and email encryption via the command line
- An archive tool with AES-256 support (7-Zip or the built-in Compress/Archive utility on your OS) for quick password-protected file encryption
- A password manager to store encryption passphrases and recovery keys — losing these means losing your data permanently, with no backdoor
Total setup time runs about 90 minutes if you’re configuring full-disk encryption plus a file-level tool across one machine; add 15-20 minutes per additional device.
Step 1: Decide What Needs Encrypting
Not every file needs the same level of protection, and treating everything identically usually means people give up halfway through. Split your data into three tiers: the entire drive (protects against physical theft of the device), specific sensitive folders (financial records, client data, credentials, source code with secrets), and anything headed to cloud storage (protects against provider-side breaches and account compromise). Full-disk encryption is table stakes for any laptop that leaves the building. File-level encryption is for data that needs protection even from other users on the same machine, or that you’re sending somewhere else. Cloud encryption is for data you don’t fully trust a third party to keep private.
Write this tier list down rather than deciding case by case as you go — a quick spreadsheet with a column for device, drive, and protection method turns encryption from a one-time project into something you can audit later, especially once you’re managing more than a couple of machines.
Step 2: Enable BitLocker on Windows 11
On Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, open Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption, or search for “Manage BitLocker” in the Start menu. If your device has a TPM 2.0 chip (required for Windows 11 in the first place, so nearly all supported hardware qualifies), turn on BitLocker for your system drive and choose “Encrypt entire drive” rather than “Encrypt used disk space only” if this is an existing installation with previously deleted files you want covered.
# Check BitLocker status from an elevated PowerShell prompt
manage-bde -status C:
# Enable BitLocker on the system drive with a recovery password
manage-bde -on C: -RecoveryPasswordWindows 11 Home doesn’t expose full BitLocker, but ships a simplified “Device Encryption” that activates automatically on supported hardware once you sign in with a Microsoft account, backing the recovery key up to that account automatically. You can check whether it’s active under Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption. If the option isn’t visible at all, your hardware doesn’t meet Microsoft’s Modern Standby and security baseline requirements, and you’ll need a third-party tool like VeraCrypt instead.
Step 3: Enable FileVault on macOS
On macOS, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault, and click Turn On. FileVault provides XTS-AES full-disk encryption on the startup volume, tied to your login password and, on Apple silicon Macs, additionally anchored to the Secure Enclave, which makes offline extraction of the encryption keys extremely difficult even with physical access to the drive.
# Check FileVault status from Terminal
fdesetup status
# Enable FileVault from the command line (prompts for confirmation)
sudo fdesetup enableYou’ll be given the choice to store your recovery key with Apple (tied to your Apple ID) or generate a local recovery key you must store yourself. Choosing Apple’s iCloud-backed recovery is more convenient if you forget your password, but it does mean Apple can technically assist account recovery — for maximum control, save the local recovery key in a password manager instead and skip the iCloud option.
Step 4: Set Up LUKS Full-Disk Encryption on Linux
Most Linux installers (Ubuntu’s, Fedora’s) offer “Encrypt the new installation” as a checkbox during setup, which configures LUKS2 automatically. If you’re encrypting an existing unencrypted system, that requires a full reinstall since LUKS encrypts at the block-device level below the filesystem — there’s no simple in-place conversion. For a fresh install or a secondary encrypted volume, the manual commands look like this:
# Format a partition with LUKS2 using AES-XTS and Argon2id
sudo cryptsetup luksFormat --type luks2
--cipher aes-xts-plain64 --key-size 512
--pbkdf argon2id /dev/sdb1
# Open the encrypted volume and map it
sudo cryptsetup open /dev/sdb1 encrypted_volume
# Verify the cipher and key derivation settings
sudo cryptsetup luksDump /dev/sdb1Modern distributions default to exactly this combination — LUKS2 with AES-XTS at an effective 256-bit key strength (implemented as 512-bit total key material for XTS mode) and Argon2id as the password-based key derivation function, which is deliberately slow to resist brute-force cracking attempts against a stolen drive.
Step 5: Install and Configure VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt works identically across Windows, macOS, and Linux, and is the best option when you need an encrypted container you can move between operating systems, or when you want full-disk encryption on a system where BitLocker, FileVault, or LUKS aren’t available or don’t fit your workflow. Download version 1.26.29 or later from the official site, install it, then launch the application and click “Create Volume.”
Choose “Create an encrypted file container” for a portable encrypted vault you can store anywhere (including in cloud storage), select AES as the encryption algorithm, and set a container size and a strong passphrase. Once created, mount the container as a virtual drive:
# Mount a VeraCrypt container from the command line (cross-platform)
veracrypt --mount /path/to/container.hc Z: --pim=0 --keyfiles="" --protect-hidden=no
# Unmount when finished
veracrypt --dismount Z:Anything you save into the mounted drive letter (or mount point on macOS/Linux) gets written to disk already encrypted. Unmount it when you’re done, and the container reverts to an unreadable blob until mounted again with the correct passphrase.
Step 6: Encrypt Individual Files With GPG
For a single file or a small batch you need to encrypt without setting up a whole container, GnuPG’s symmetric encryption mode is faster to reach for. Install GPG 2.5.21 or later, then run:
# Encrypt a file with a passphrase (symmetric, AES-256)
gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 confidential-report.pdf
# This creates confidential-report.pdf.gpg
# Decrypt it later with:
gpg --decrypt confidential-report.pdf.gpg > confidential-report.pdfFor sending encrypted files to someone else without sharing a passphrase out of band, use asymmetric encryption with their public key instead:
# Import the recipient's public key first, then encrypt for them
gpg --import recipient-public-key.asc
gpg --encrypt --recipient "recipient@example.com" contract.docxGPG 2.5.21 added Kyber support as part of the project’s move toward NIST’s post-quantum standards, which means newer key types can begin combining classical and quantum-resistant algorithms — worth exploring if you’re encrypting data that needs to stay confidential for decades, but classical AES-256 remains entirely sufficient for the vast majority of file-encryption needs today.
Step 7: Password-Protect Archives With 7-Zip
When GPG feels like overkill for a quick, one-off password-protected archive, 7-Zip’s built-in AES-256 support does the job with a simpler interface. Install the latest version of 7-Zip, right-click the files or folder you want to protect, choose “Add to archive,” set the archive format to 7z, and enter a password under the Encryption section — make sure “AES-256” is selected as the encryption method and, importantly, check “Encrypt file names” too, since without it the archive’s file listing stays visible even though the contents are locked.
# Command-line equivalent on any platform with 7-Zip installed
7z a -p -mhe=on -mx=9 secure-archive.7z /path/to/folderThe -mhe=on flag enables header encryption (hiding file names), and -p without a value prompts you for the password interactively rather than storing it in your shell history.
Step 8: Turn On Client-Side Encryption for Cloud Storage
Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox all encrypt your data at rest on their servers using AES-256 and in transit via TLS, but that’s provider-managed encryption — the company holds the keys, which means they can technically access your files (and are legally compelled to in some circumstances), and a breach of their infrastructure could theoretically expose data across many accounts at once. None of the three mainstream consumer plans offers true end-to-end, user-held-key encryption for general file storage out of the box.
Apple’s iCloud is the exception. Turning on Advanced Data Protection under Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection extends end-to-end encryption to most iCloud categories, including iCloud Drive, device backups, Photos, and Notes. With it enabled, encryption keys live only on your trusted devices, and Apple has no ability to decrypt that data, even under a legal request.
If you’re on Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox and need genuine client-side encryption, the practical answer is to encrypt files yourself before they sync — drop a VeraCrypt container or individually GPG-encrypted files into the synced folder, so the cloud provider only ever stores ciphertext it can’t read.
Step 9: Store Recovery Keys Somewhere Safe
Every encryption method covered here shares one hard rule: there’s no password reset. Lose your BitLocker recovery key, FileVault recovery key, LUKS passphrase, or VeraCrypt password, and the data is gone permanently — that’s the entire point of strong encryption, and it applies to you as much as to an attacker.
- BitLocker: back the recovery key up to a Microsoft account, a printed copy in a safe, or a USB drive kept separately from the encrypted device
- FileVault: store the local recovery key in a password manager rather than relying solely on iCloud recovery if you want full control
- LUKS: add a second key slot with a separate passphrase as a backup, using
cryptsetup luksAddKey, so a single forgotten password doesn’t lock you out permanently - VeraCrypt: there is no recovery mechanism at all — the passphrase is the only key, so store it in a password manager the moment you create the container
Step 9b: Encrypt External Drives and USB Sticks
External drives get lost, left in hotel rooms, and stolen out of bags far more often than laptops, and they rarely ship encrypted by default. On Windows, right-click the external drive in File Explorer and choose “Turn on BitLocker” — this uses the same BitLocker To Go feature as the main drive but lets you unlock with a password instead of relying on the TPM, since the drive can move between machines. On macOS, encrypt an external drive through Disk Utility by selecting the volume, choosing Erase, and picking “APFS (Encrypted)” or “Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)” as the format, which requires reformatting the drive, so back up its contents first.
# Windows: enable BitLocker To Go on an external drive (drive letter E:)
manage-bde -on E: -RecoveryPassword -Password
# Linux: encrypt a USB drive with LUKS, same as an internal disk
sudo cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sdc1
sudo cryptsetup open /dev/sdc1 usb_encryptedVeraCrypt is the most portable option for external media specifically because it works identically across all three operating systems — encrypt a USB drive with VeraCrypt on a Windows machine and you can still mount and read it on macOS or Linux later, which isn’t the case with BitLocker To Go or native APFS encryption, both of which are tied more closely to their originating OS.
Step 9c: Check Encryption Status on Mobile Devices
Phones are easier to lose than laptops and often carry just as much sensitive data — email, banking apps, authentication codes, photos. The good news is that both major mobile platforms encrypt by default in 2026, so this step is mostly about verification rather than setup. On iPhone, data protection is enabled automatically the moment you set a passcode, tying encryption keys to that passcode and the device’s Secure Enclave; there’s no separate toggle to find because it’s on from first setup. Check Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) to confirm a passcode is set, since without one, the encryption has nothing protecting it.
Android has required full-disk or file-based encryption by default on new devices for years now, tied to your lock screen PIN, pattern, or password. Check under Settings > Security (the exact path varies by manufacturer) for an “Encryption & credentials” or similar section to confirm status. As with iPhone, the encryption is only as strong as the lock screen credential protecting it — a four-digit PIN is dramatically weaker than a longer alphanumeric password, even though the underlying AES encryption is identical either way.
Step 10: Verify Encryption Is Actually Active
Don’t assume a setting stuck. Confirm each method is genuinely running before trusting it with sensitive data:
# Windows: confirm BitLocker is fully encrypted, not "encrypting"
manage-bde -status C:
# Look for: Conversion Status: Fully Encrypted
# macOS: confirm FileVault is on
fdesetup status
# Expect: FileVault is On.
# Linux: confirm the LUKS mapping is active
sudo cryptsetup status encrypted_volume
# Expect: type: LUKS2, cipher: aes-xts-plain64BitLocker and FileVault both show an in-progress encryption percentage rather than completing instantly — a large drive can take several hours the first time, running in the background while you keep working, so don’t interrupt it by shutting the machine down mid-process.
Step 11: Choose AES-256 Over AES-128 for New Setups
Both AES-128 and AES-256 remain considered secure against classical attacks in 2026 — AES-128 hasn’t been broken and provides ample protection for most use cases. Current cryptographic guidance still leans toward AES-256 as the default for new deployments, though, because the performance difference is negligible on modern hardware and the larger key size provides a bigger security margin against any future advances in cryptanalysis. Every tool in this guide — BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS, VeraCrypt, GPG, and 7-Zip — supports AES-256 as either the default or an explicitly selectable option, so there’s rarely a reason to choose the weaker setting.
Step 12: Build an Encryption Checklist for New Devices
Turn this tutorial into a repeatable checklist you run on every new laptop, external drive, or cloud account: enable full-disk encryption immediately after setup (BitLocker, FileVault, or LUKS depending on the OS), install VeraCrypt or GPG for anything that needs file-level protection beyond the disk, turn on Advanced Data Protection if you’re an iCloud user or manually encrypt files before syncing to Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox otherwise, and store every recovery key or passphrase in a password manager the same day you generate it — not “later,” since that’s exactly when it gets forgotten.
Output Examples: What a Working Setup Looks Like
A correctly configured BitLocker status check returns:
Volume C: [OS]
[OS Volume]
Size: 476.94 GB
BitLocker Version: 2.0
Conversion Status: Fully Encrypted
Percentage Encrypted: 100.0%
Encryption Method: XTS-AES 256
Protection Status: Protection On
Lock Status: UnlockedA successful GPG symmetric decryption prompts for the passphrase and, on success, returns silently with no error output, leaving the decrypted file in place. A failed attempt (wrong passphrase) returns:
gpg: encrypted with 1 passphrase
gpg: decryption failed: Bad session key5 Common Pitfalls When Encrypting Files
Encrypting the drive but not the backups. A fully encrypted laptop with an unencrypted external backup drive or unencrypted cloud sync folder just moves the vulnerability rather than closing it.
Weak or reused passphrases. Full-disk and file-level encryption are only as strong as the password protecting them — a passphrase reused from another account, or short enough to guess, undermines AES-256 entirely.
Losing the recovery key. Unlike a forgotten website password, there’s no “reset” flow for BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS, or VeraCrypt. Treat the recovery key with the same care as the data itself.
Forgetting “Encrypt file names” in 7-Zip. Leaving this unchecked means an attacker who obtains the archive can still see every filename inside it, which often leaks enough context to be a problem on its own.
Assuming cloud provider encryption is enough. Server-side encryption on Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox protects against some scenarios (stolen server hardware) but not others (compelled data requests, provider-side breaches, compromised employee access). Client-side encryption is the only way to remove that trust dependency entirely.
Troubleshooting: 8 Common Issues and Fixes
1. BitLocker option is grayed out. Confirm you’re on Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (Home only has the simplified Device Encryption) and that TPM 2.0 is enabled in your system’s firmware/BIOS settings.
2. FileVault encryption seems stuck at a fixed percentage. This is normal for large drives with a lot of data — it runs in the background and can take several hours. Check fdesetup status periodically rather than assuming it’s frozen.
3. cryptsetup luksFormat fails with “Device is in use.” Unmount the partition first with umount /dev/sdb1 before running luksFormat — you can’t format a mounted filesystem.
4. VeraCrypt container won’t mount, “incorrect password” on a password you’re sure is right. Check your keyboard layout matches what you used when creating the container — special characters can render differently across layouts, silently changing the effective passphrase.
5. GPG “no public key” error when decrypting. The sender encrypted with a public key whose corresponding private key isn’t in your keyring. Confirm you’re using the correct GPG key pair and that it hasn’t expired.
6. System runs noticeably slower after enabling encryption. Modern CPUs include AES-NI hardware acceleration, so a well-configured setup shouldn’t cause a meaningful slowdown. If you do see one, check that AES-NI is enabled in firmware settings and that you’re not running a software-only fallback cipher.
7. Forgot to back up the recovery key before an OS update. Major Windows and macOS updates can occasionally prompt for the recovery key if TPM state changes. Always confirm your recovery key is backed up somewhere outside the device before running a major update.
8. 7-Zip archive password prompt never appears when double-clicking. Some file managers open archives with a built-in extractor that doesn’t support encrypted 7z headers properly. Open the archive directly through the 7-Zip application instead of the OS’s default archive handler.
Encryption Tools Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Cipher | Platforms | Current Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BitLocker | Windows full-disk encryption | XTS-AES 256 | Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education | Built into Windows 11 |
| FileVault | macOS full-disk encryption | XTS-AES | macOS Sonoma, Sequoia | Built into macOS |
| LUKS/dm-crypt | Linux full-disk encryption | AES-XTS + Argon2id | Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, most distros | LUKS2 |
| VeraCrypt | Cross-platform containers and drives | AES (plus cascades) | Windows, macOS, Linux | 1.26.29 (June 2026) |
| GnuPG (GPG) | File and email encryption | AES-256, adding Kyber/PQC | Windows, macOS, Linux | 2.5.21 (July 2026) |
| 7-Zip | Quick password-protected archives | AES-256 | Windows, macOS, Linux | Latest stable release |
Cloud Storage Encryption Compared
| Provider | At-Rest Encryption | True End-to-End (Client-Side) | How to Enable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive | AES-256, provider-managed keys | No (consumer plans) | Manual pre-encryption required |
| Microsoft OneDrive | AES-256, provider-managed keys | No (consumer plans) | Manual pre-encryption required |
| Dropbox | AES-256, provider-managed keys | No (consumer plans) | Manual pre-encryption required |
| iCloud (Apple) | AES-256, provider-managed by default | Yes, with Advanced Data Protection | Settings > [name] > iCloud > Advanced Data Protection |
Advanced Tips: Post-Quantum Cryptography and Long-Term Data
If you’re encrypting data that needs to stay confidential for decades — legal records, medical data, long-term intellectual property — it’s worth understanding where post-quantum cryptography stands. NIST finalized its first three PQC standards in August 2024: FIPS 203 (ML-KEM, based on CRYSTALS-Kyber) for key encapsulation, FIPS 204 (ML-DSA, based on CRYSTALS-Dilithium) for digital signatures, and FIPS 205 (SLH-DSA, based on SPHINCS+) as a hash-based backup signature scheme. NIST added a fifth algorithm, HQC, to the standardization track in March 2025 as an additional key-encapsulation option.
None of the mainstream full-disk encryption formats covered in this tutorial — BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS — have switched to post-quantum algorithms in 2026, and classical AES-256 remains unbroken by any known quantum or classical attack. But GPG 2.5.21’s addition of Kyber support signals where command-line tools are headed. The practical takeaway: AES-256 disk and file encryption is not at risk today, but if you’re building infrastructure meant to protect data for 20-plus years, start tracking NIST’s PQC standardization page and plan for a hybrid classical-plus-quantum-resistant approach as tools mature.
A second advanced tip: layer your encryption rather than relying on a single method. Full-disk encryption protects against physical device theft, but once you’re logged in, everything is readable. Adding a VeraCrypt container or GPG-encrypted files for your most sensitive data means that even a compromised, unlocked session doesn’t automatically expose everything — an attacker who gains remote access still hits a second passphrase wall around your most critical files.
Managing Encryption Across a Fleet of Devices
Everything above works fine for one machine, but IT teams managing dozens or hundreds of devices need centralized visibility instead of checking each laptop by hand. On Windows, BitLocker integrates with Microsoft Intune or Active Directory, letting admins enforce encryption policy, escrow recovery keys centrally instead of leaving them on individual user accounts, and pull compliance reports showing which devices are and aren’t encrypted. On macOS, FileVault recovery keys can be escrowed centrally through an MDM platform (Jamf, Kandji, Mosyle, or Apple Business Manager-integrated tools), which solves the biggest FileVault management headache: a locally generated recovery key that lives only on one employee’s password manager is functionally lost the day that employee leaves without offboarding properly.
For Linux fleets, LUKS lacks a built-in central management layer comparable to Intune or Jamf, so most organizations either script recovery-key escrow into their provisioning process (uploading each device’s LUKS recovery key to a secrets manager at setup time) or rely on configuration management tools like Ansible to enforce and audit encryption status across the fleet. Whatever platform you’re standardizing on, the underlying principle is the same one from Step 9: a recovery key that exists in exactly one place, on exactly one device, is a single point of failure waiting to turn into a permanently locked drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does encryption slow down my computer?
On any CPU from the last decade, no — AES-NI hardware acceleration built into modern processors handles AES encryption and decryption with negligible overhead for everyday use.
What happens if I forget my BitLocker, FileVault, or VeraCrypt password?
Without the password or a saved recovery key, the data is permanently inaccessible. This is by design — there’s no backdoor. Store recovery keys in a password manager the moment you create them.
Is AES-128 not secure enough anymore?
AES-128 remains secure against all known classical attacks in 2026. AES-256 is generally recommended as the default for new setups because the performance cost is negligible and it provides a larger long-term security margin, not because AES-128 is broken.
Do I need VeraCrypt if I already have BitLocker or FileVault enabled?
Not necessarily. Full-disk encryption alone covers most laptop-theft scenarios. VeraCrypt adds value when you need portable encrypted containers you can move between operating systems, or an extra layer of protection for specific files beyond what the disk-level encryption provides.
Can I encrypt files already stored in Google Drive or OneDrive?
Yes, but not through the provider’s native tools on consumer plans. Download the files, encrypt them locally with GPG, VeraCrypt, or 7-Zip, then re-upload the encrypted version and delete the unencrypted original from the cloud.
Is Apple’s Advanced Data Protection worth turning on?
If you use iCloud for backups, Photos, or iCloud Drive and want to remove Apple’s own ability to access that data (including under legal requests), yes. The tradeoff is that if you lose access to all your trusted devices and recovery methods, Apple cannot help you recover the data either.
Does full-disk encryption protect against ransomware?
Indirectly. It doesn’t stop ransomware from encrypting your files a second time, but it does prevent attackers from reading and exfiltrating your data if they gain physical access to a powered-off, encrypted device. Network-based ransomware attacks bypass disk encryption entirely once you’re logged in, so it should be one layer among several defenses, not a replacement for backups and endpoint security. Pair it with offline or immutable backups and endpoint monitoring for the layers disk encryption alone can’t cover.
Should I worry about quantum computers breaking my encrypted files?
Not for AES-256 encrypted data today. Quantum computers capable of breaking AES-256 in practice don’t exist yet, and NIST’s post-quantum standards are aimed primarily at protecting key-exchange and signature algorithms (like those used in TLS and digital signatures) rather than symmetric ciphers like AES, which remain considered quantum-resistant at the 256-bit key size. Revisit this guidance periodically rather than treating it as settled, since quantum computing progress and NIST’s standardization track both continue to move.
