Security expert Rik Ferguson warns that organizations must urgently adopt post-quantum cryptography to protect sensitive data against future quantum computing threats and current harvest-now-decrypt-later cyberattacks.

Key Points

• Only 8% of global SSH servers currently support post-quantum cryptography, marking a slow two-percentage-point increase over the past year.
• Research from EY indicates that 87% of business leaders expect quantum computing to disrupt their industries by 2030.
• The NSA has warned of harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks, where adversaries steal encrypted data today to decrypt it once quantum technology matures.
• Organizations are advised to maintain real-time asset inventories, integrate quantum readiness into procurement processes, and prioritize crypto-agility.
• Upgrading to standards like TLS 1.3 provides a necessary framework for future cryptographic transitions without requiring immediate cipher changes.

Why it Matters

The threat of quantum computing necessitates immediate strategic planning to prevent the future decryption of currently intercepted sensitive information. Businesses that fail to prioritize crypto-agility now risk leaving long-term data vulnerable to sophisticated state-sponsored surveillance programs.