Why it matters
Data encrypted today can be captured now and decrypted later, once capable quantum computers exist. This is often called harvest now, decrypt later. In August 2024 the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published its first post-quantum standards: FIPS 203, 204 and 205.
What to get right
- Build an inventory of where and how cryptography is used across your systems.
- Prioritise data that must stay confidential for many years.
- Ask vendors for their post-quantum roadmaps and timelines.
- Design for crypto-agility, so algorithms can be swapped without rebuilding systems.
Common questions
Are quantum computers able to break encryption today?
Not at the scale required, as far as is publicly known. The risk is to long-lived data captured now, and to the long time large organisations need to migrate.
What are the new NIST standards?
FIPS 203 (ML-KEM) for key establishment, and FIPS 204 (ML-DSA) and FIPS 205 (SLH-DSA) for digital signatures.