In discrete mathematics, ideal lattices are a special class of lattices and a generalization of cyclic lattices.[1] Ideal lattices naturally occur in many parts of number theory, but also in other areas. In particular, they have a significant place in cryptography. Micciancio defined a generalization of cyclic lattices as ideal lattices. They can be used in cryptosystems to decrease by a square root the number of parameters necessary to describe a lattice, making them more efficient. Ideal lattices are a new concept, but similar lattice classes have been used for a long time. For example, cyclic lattices, a special case of ideal lattices, are used in NTRUEncrypt and NTRUSign.
Ideal lattices also form the basis for quantum computer attack resistant cryptography based on the Ring Learning with Errors.[2] These cryptosystems are provably secure under the assumption that the shortest vector problem (SVP) is hard in these ideal lattices.