Keeping Your Organization Quantum Safe Now

By Elke Porter | WBN News Global | May 10, 2025

It's terrifying to imagine that hackers could snatch my encrypted bank details today and unlock them years from now with a quantum computer. In 2023, Congress passed the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, signed by President Biden, to shield Americans from this threat. It ordered U.S. agencies to list vulnerable systems within six months and adopt quantum-proof encryption by 2024, following National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. Canada lacks a similar law, but urges preparation through its Preparing Your Organization for the Quantum Threat to Cryptography guide.

Quantum computers aren’t like a regular laptop. They use quantum physics—tiny particles acting in odd, powerful ways—to solve complex problems. Today’s encryption, like locks on your email, relies on math quantum computers could break by 2030. The Canadian government warns of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HaNDLe), where hackers store encrypted data now to crack later, risking old texts, bank details or health records. Quantum computers could also fake trusted systems, like app stores, to deliver malicious updates.

The U.S. law pushes post-quantum cryptography (PQC), encryption quantum computers can’t break, with NIST’s standards set bacin 2024. Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE) advises organizations to inventory systems, prioritize sensitive data, and transition to PQC, as outlined in its February 2025 guide. It suggests checking vendor PQC plans and using symmetric encryption, like 256-bit AES, which resists quantum attacks.

You can act now. Explore CISA’s or Canada’s Cyber Centre guides to understand quantum risks. Ask your bank about quantum-safe upgrades. Use strong passwords and big-key encryption. Businesses should budget for PQC updates and build “cryptographic agility” to switch systems easily, per Canada’s advice. The CSE also explores alternatives like quantum key distribution but recommends PQC as the simplest, cost-effective solution.

Some think only quantum computers can stop quantum decryption. Not true. PQC resists all attacks. By learning, upgrading, and supporting NIST and CSE standards, we can secure our data. The quantum future is near - only five years away -but we’re preparing to stay safe.

#Quantum Cybersecurity #Post Quantum Crypto #Quantum Threat
#Cybersecurity Law #Quantum Safe #Data Protection #WBN News Global #Elke Porter

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