diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 0940dff9c..d2ff0ede0 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+strongswan-5.3.4
+----------------
+
+- The sha3 plugin implements the SHA3 Keccak-F1600 hash algorithm family.
+  Within the strongSwan framework SHA3 is currently used for BLISS signatures
+  only because the OIDs for other signature algorithms haven't been defined
+  yet. Also the use of SHA3 for IKEv2 has not been standardized yet.
+
+
 strongswan-5.3.3
 ----------------
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 42663f835..12d873ac1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #  initialize & set some vars
 # ============================
 
-AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.3.3])
+AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.3.4dr1])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(m4_esyscmd([
 	echo tar-ustar
 	echo subdir-objects