pq-crystals/dilithium

CRYSTALS-Dilithium is not just a software project; it is the implementation of a global cryptographic standard (FIPS 204). As one of the primary winners of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography competition, it represents the pinnacle of lattice-based signature schemes. Its defensibility is absolute because it serves as the 'source of truth' for implementers worldwide. While the code itself is open source and theoretically clonable, the authority resides in the authors (a team of world-renowned cryptographers) and the peer-reviewed mathematical foundation. Frontier labs (OpenAI, Google) are consumers of this technology, not competitors; they will integrate Dilithium into their TLS stacks and identity providers rather than building alternative signature schemes. The 581 stars and 210 forks, combined with an 8-year history and zero current velocity, signify a mature, 'finished' infrastructure-grade project that has successfully transitioned from research to global standard. Displacement is unlikely for decades, as cryptographic standards have immense inertia (e.g., RSA and ECDSA). The only real 'threat' would be a mathematical breakthrough that breaks Module-LWE (Learning With Errors), which is a risk shared by the entire field of post-quantum security.