Preparing for Quantum Computing's Impact on Cybersecurity

The Day a Bank Vanished Without a Trace It’s 2:17 AM, 2029. A top global bank wakes to a nightmare: $1.4 trillion in assets gone. No alarms. No hacks. No trace. The keys? Valid. The transactions? Legitimate. By dawn, the bank’s treasury is erased...wiped out by a quantum computer that cracked 2048-bit encryption in seconds. This isn’t sci-fi. It’s our future. The Statistic That Keeps Me Up at Night: Experts predict that in 5–7 years, quantum computers will shatter 65% of the world’s encryption protocols. AI transformed finance. But when quantum + AI collide, the rules of money, trust, and security will be rewritten overnight. What’s Coming? * Portfolio optimization in milliseconds. * Fraud detection that outsmarts today’s AI. * And, every private key you rely on? Vulnerable. This is the financial superstorm. 5 Steps to Quantum-Proof Finance 1. Switch to Quantum-Safe Encryption NOW Don’t wait for standards. Move critical systems to post-quantum algorithms today. 2. Simulate Quantum Risks Model how quantum + AI will disrupt pricing, risk, and fraud. 3. Build Regulatory Sandboxes Partner with regulators to test quantum innovations without destabilizing the system. 4. Rethink Digital Identity Keys alone won’t cut it. Blend biometrics, behavioral analytics, and decentralized IDs. 5. Unite for Defense No bank or nation can do this alone. Form alliances across finance, tech, and security. This isn’t a distant threat. It’s a countdown. When it hits zero, trillions in assets and our trust in the system are at stake. The question isn’t if a quantum breach will happen...it’s when. What’s your take? Are we sleepwalking into a crisis? Let me know below. #QuantumFinance #Cybersecurity #FutureOfMoney #Innovation

What happens when today’s encryption can't keep up? The smart move right now is to treat quantum as a data protection issue. If your data needs to be secure five, ten, or even twenty years from now, it's worth asking: will your current cryptography still hold up? Start by figuring out where encryption lives across your org from TLS and VPNs to IoT devices and digital signatures. Then look at which data needs to be protected long term, and whether you're using crypto that could be cracked by future quantum machines. This is where post-quantum cryptography comes in. Start small (pilot plugins and vendor trials) and keep pushing for crypto agility so you're ready to pivot when standards settle. Quantum threats may take time to arrive, but they're on the map. Getting ready now reduces risk, builds trust, and supports long-term resilience. #postquantum #cisoleadership #cyberresilience

Headline: EU Raises Alarm Over Quantum Cybersecurity Risks as Quantum Tech Accelerates ⸻ Introduction: As the quantum computing race intensifies, the European Union has unveiled a new strategy to harness the transformative potential of quantum technologies. However, this leap forward also triggers a dire warning: current encryption systems face collapse in the wake of quantum advances. Cybersecurity experts are calling it a “quantum security doomsday” — a point at which quantum computers could easily decrypt today’s most trusted digital protections. ⸻ Key Details and Strategic Developments: 1. The EU’s Quantum Strategy and Lag Behind Rivals • The European Commission introduced a new quantum strategy to stimulate investment, convert academic knowledge into economic value, and catch up with the U.S. and China, who lead in quantum research and deployment. • Quantum tech is seen as essential for breakthroughs in drug discovery, battery development, satellite navigation, space defense, and secure communications. 2. The Looming Cybersecurity Crisis • The greatest concern lies in quantum computing’s ability to break public key cryptography, which currently secures: • Online banking • Government and military communications • Personal data on the internet • Once scalable quantum computers arrive, they could instantly defeat RSA and ECC-based encryption, making most digital infrastructure vulnerable to breaches. 3. Urgency of Post-Quantum Security (PQS) • The EU has set a target for critical infrastructure to migrate to post-quantum cryptography by 2030. • This echoes similar moves in the U.S., where NIST has begun formalizing quantum-safe algorithms. • Experts warn of a “harvest now, decrypt later” threat, in which sensitive encrypted data is already being collected for future quantum decryption. 4. Investment and Preparedness Gap • Despite its robust academic research, Europe trails in commercialization and industrial adoption of quantum systems. • The European Commission’s quantum initiative aims to unify efforts across member states, enhance public-private collaboration, and promote quantum-resilient cybersecurity policies. ⸻ Why This Matters: The rise of quantum computing represents both a generational opportunity and an existential cybersecurity threat. While the EU’s strategy signals a proactive stance, the clock is ticking for governments and businesses worldwide to adopt quantum-safe encryption. A delayed response could lead to catastrophic breaches of data, communications, and national security systems. The race to quantum supremacy is not just about speed — it’s about security, resilience, and the ability to future-proof global infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/gEmHdXZy

U.S.-Allied Militaries Must Prepare for the Quantum Threat to Cryptography By Edward Parker | Originally published by Just Security, May 28, 2025 Quantum computers could eventually break the cryptographic systems that currently secure everything from personal data to classified military secrets. The NSA (National Security Agency) has been at the forefront of addressing this threat and shaping U.S. policy. NSA’s Position on the Quantum Threat The NSA has publicly warned that adversarial use of quantum computers could be "devastating to National Security Systems and our nation." In response, the NSA has taken a clear stance favoring Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) as the primary defense. It explicitly prohibits the use of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) to secure U.S. national security information, citing cost, complexity, and scalability concerns. Under National Security Memorandum 10, issued by President Biden, the NSA is directing a government-wide upgrade to PQC by 2035. PQC vs. QKD – NSA’s Preference PQC is software-based and aligns with current cryptographic practices. The NSA, through collaboration with NIST, has helped lead the global effort to standardize PQC algorithms. QKD, while promising in theory and backed by nations like China, is seen by the NSA as impractical for widespread defense use due to its reliance on expensive and fragile hardware. International Landscape & NSA Leadership Unlike the NSA, most allied intelligence agencies have not published detailed timelines or implementation strategies for quantum-safe encryption. The UK and France have taken similar positions to the NSA, supporting PQC over QKD, especially for classified military communications. In contrast, countries like Canada, South Korea, and Japan are pursuing both PQC and QKD, potentially creating interoperability challenges. The Call to Action The NSA’s transparent and proactive approach should serve as a model for other allied militaries. Interoperability between allied forces is at risk if nations don’t align on cryptographic defenses. Differing systems (e.g., PQC vs. QKD) may block secure communication between forces. To avoid fragmentation, allied nations should clarify their strategies and coordinate with NSA guidelines—especially regarding the security of shared national security information. Final Thought While quantum attacks may still be years away, the NSA recognizes that adversaries may already be collecting encrypted data to decrypt in the future. The sooner allied militaries follow the NSA’s lead in adopting clear, harmonized post-quantum strategies, the more secure and united the defense alliance will be. https://lnkd.in/eBvjX2EN

The article says the quiet part out loud – although we celebrate Google’s upgrade to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), “…you’re not safe”.  They are ahead of most in keeping their client data secure in the quantum age, where AI training data is gold. However, PQC is just a marketing term if it is not end-to-end. An incomplete PQC data path is not quantum-safe even if it has some PQC along the way. As the NSA has explicitly stated, hybrid is a terrible idea and will never be deployed on National Security Systems. This should silence conspiracy theorists who claim the NSA rejects it because hybrid is more challenging to break. If that were true, it would be widely deployed on classified networks. RSA and ECC are quantum-broken. Although the PQC debate is still open, and we should be crypto-agile, layering insecure classical algorithms on top of them would be security theater. The reasons are universally valid, especially in software: adding complexity leads to unpredictable vulnerabilities, resulting in difficult-to-maintain code. While well-intentioned, the hybrid road incurs high computational and interoperability costs without a security benefit. More concerning is PKI architecture predates the Internet, and the only quantum cryptanalysis done on PQC is based on Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms. As more scientists get access to larger quantum computers, we will (not?) be surprised. Our faith today in a single algorithm (*again*) reminds me of the extreme hubris of physicist Lord Kelvin’s 1897 proclamation before the discovery of General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, superconductivity, etc., "There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.” We must do better than a new single point of failure as our adversaries harvest more sensitive data every day. #Qrypt #quantum #cryptography #cybersecurity https://lnkd.in/eMTFcaua

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recently published new guidance on migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to address the potential threat posed by future quantum computers to our current public-key cryptography (PKC) systems. Key takeaways: 1. PQC is resistant to attacks by both quantum and classical computers, offering similar functionality to PKC. 2. The migration to PQC is a complex undertaking, requiring re-engineering protocols and services. 3. NIST has published draft standards for PQC algorithms, marking the beginning of a global IT migration project. 4. Upgrading internet services and apps will likely be easier than transitioning legacy and sector-specific protocols, including those in critical national infrastructure. 5. For many use cases, PQC transition will happen through software updates issued by service providers. Organizations must start planning their migration to PQC, experimenting with implementations, and assessing performance in essential use cases. The NCSC's guidance on algorithm choices and protocol considerations will be invaluable in this process. #cybersecurity #quantumcomputing #postquantumcryptography

Recently many of us might have hear about the risk that modern cryptography face because of quantum computers and their computational capabilities. There we have seen new guidelines being released and many people talk about the need to develop quantum ressilent algorithms. But what are they ? Let's have an overview of some of such algos, what it is and how it works. It might be a bit complicated but I will try my best to help you understand. 1. Lattice-Based Cryptography: Utilizes complex lattice structures in high dimensions. Its security is rooted in the hardness of lattice problems like the Shortest Vector Problem, which are not efficiently solvable by quantum algorithms. Used in secure key exchange and encryption schemes. 2. Hash-Based Cryptography: Employs cryptographic hash functions, which are inherently resistant to quantum attacks due to their reliance on problems like pre-image resistance. This approach is pivotal in constructing secure, quantum-resistant digital signatures. 3. Code-Based Cryptography: Centers on the difficulty of decoding randomly generated linear codes, a problem not efficiently tackled by quantum algorithms. It’s primarily applied in robust encryption systems. 4. Multivariate Quadratic Cryptography: Based on solving systems of multivariate quadratic equations, known to be NP-hard. This complexity offers a strong defense against quantum computational attacks. Key Insights: *These algorithms leverage mathematical problems that are currently intractable for quantum computers. *Their development is critical for ensuring security in the face of advancing quantum computing capabilities. *This area is rapidly evolving, necessitating ongoing research and adaptation. #QuantumResilience #AdvancedCryptography #Cybersecurity #QuantumComputing #Encryption

Here is a short presentation I put together that focuses on the challenges and strategies necessary for adapting to the future of quantum cryptography. The primary message is that key management is synonymous with risk management. Although the practical risks of post-quantum computing to cryptography may be distant, transitioning between cryptographic algorithms can be time-consuming. Therefore, your focus should be on developing robust key management practices today. This includes accurate measurement, effective key protection, and establishing processes that are regularly exercised to respond efficiently to threats and facilitate migrations.

AI is not the greatest risk to humanity—it’s quantum computing. The recent discovery of backdoors implanted by Chinese government-backed hackers is a precursor to a growing threat - quantum risk. A notable concern is the Harvest Now, Decrypt Later strategy, where malicious entities collect and store encrypted data. They may be unable to decrypt it now, but with advanced computing technology, they can shatter encryption norms in the future. Harvest Now, Decrypt Later is serious because big data is big business: • 5.2 billion internet users worldwide • 2.5 quintillion bytes of data generated daily • 44 zettabytes live in the digital universe Since you started reading this, humans generated 3.2GB of new data. Quantum computing is 158M times faster than today’s most sophisticated supercomputer (a fighter jet is only 50k times faster than a snail). In four minutes, a quantum computer could do what it would take a traditional supercomputer 10,000 years to accomplish. Quantum computing requires frigid temperatures, as sub-atomic particles must be as close as possible to a stationary state to be measured. The cores of D-Wave quantum computers operate at -460 degrees f, or -273 degrees c, which is 0.02 degrees away from absolute zero. At a quantum level, science fiction is reality. Particles travel backward or forward in time and teleport between two positions. It has been theorized that qubits can exist in two states simultaneously because we observe them in multiple universes simultaneously. From high-value assets like DNA sequences, weapons data, and intellectual property to seemingly trivial data, all are in jeopardy. The entity breaking the cryptographic barriers can reap an unprecedented transfer of intellectual capital and wealth. Data harvesting typically occurs at points of high data concentration, such as data centers and server hubs. The ease of tapping into data streams has grown exponentially due to the reduction in data storage costs and low-cost interception methods. Geopolitics further heightens the risks. The expansion of Huawei's 5G network hardware could facilitate data interception on a massive scale. To counter these looming threats, a thorough understanding of quantum security is crucial. While some may view AES as quantum-safe, its security relies on the RSA mechanism used for key distribution, which isn't quantum-resistant. Once RSA encryption is broken, all corresponding AES keys are exposed, unveiling the nature of quantum risk. Together, we can reduce quantum risk in 3 steps: 1. Understand encryption key management and identify quantum-vulnerable algorithms. 2. Align key transmissions with NIST PQC standards. 3. Transition to NIST PQC standards for quantum-resistant cryptography. The clouds of quantum risks are on the horizon. By acting today, we can navigate evolving threats and secure a safer digital future.