digest-chained

Digest-chained (RFC 9545) enhances cryptographic agility by allowing a sequence of hash algorithms to secure data, ensuring forward compatibility and robust security.

Digest-chained, detailed in RFC 9545, provides a mechanism for cryptographic algorithm agility. It enables the use of multiple hash algorithms in a defined sequence, creating a 'chain' of digests. This approach ensures that data remains verifiable even as older cryptographic algorithms become deprecated (e.g., transitioning from SHA-256 to SHA-384). Implementations can process the chain, validating with the strongest available algorithm they support. This design is critical for long-term data integrity and security evolution, particularly in systems requiring enduring trust anchors and resistance to future cryptanalytic advances.

https://www.ietf.org/archive/2024/rfc9545.html