The time is approaching when a sufficiently powerful quantum computer will break both RSA asymmetric cryptography and elliptic curve cryptography. Furthermore, attackers are already collecting encrypted data of a long-term nature (health data, know-how, personal information, etc.) so that they can decrypt it later (“harvest now, decrypt later”) and use it to their advantage.

This is not a risk of the distant future, but a threat that is already unfolding today. The transition to post-quantum cryptography is a long-term process that involves taking inventory of cryptographic assets, risk management, crypto-agility, and new requirements for the technologies in use. Its scope grows with the size and heterogeneity of an organization’s IT environment. Where to start, what are the first practical steps, and why shouldn’t you put off preparing?

Dáša Teššerová, a cybersecurity expert at SEFIRA, will provide the answers.

What are the other post-quantum challenges?