Google claims breakthrough with Willow quantum computing chip but no real-world use yet

It’s very likely that nation states will deploy quantum computers to crack the most sensitive messages even before the technology is widely available for commercial use. Plus, there are the “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks where adversaries vacuum up valuable communications or data, then decrypt them when the technology becomes available, says Forrester analyst Brian Hopkins.

“Even if quantum decryption is a decade away, attackers could steal encrypted data today,” he says. “Companies should begin transitioning to post-quantum cryptographic algorithms.”

And, to maintain flexibility as these algorithms evolve, companies should adopt a “cryptographic agility” approach, he adds, allowing them to swap out encryption methods as needed.

Planning ahead

Beyond cybersecurity, there are other steps that companies can take to prepare for a quantum future.

Google’s Neven, for example, suggests that researchers, engineers and developers start educating themselves. There are even free resources out there, including a new quantum error correction course that Google launched this week on Coursera.

“Awareness and training is always a good thing,” says Jon France, CISO at ISC2 (International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium). “If not only for security reasons, but also for business opportunities.”