The Hidden Risk of Postponing Quantum Safe Algorithms Adoption in Data Security

Imagine waking up one morning to find your encrypted customer data—data you assumed was safe for years or even decades—suddenly accessible to attackers because the encryption you trusted is now broken. While this scenario may sound like a nightmare, it’s not science fiction.

This is the growing reality of the quantum computing era, where waiting to adopt quantum-safe cryptography algorithms is a risk you can no longer afford to ignore.

In this article, we will explore:

• Why enterprises need to act now on quantum cryptography algorithms and quantum-safe encryption algorithms.
• The difference between quantum key distribution algorithms, quantum-resistant algorithms, and quantum-resistant encryption algorithms.
• How to prepare your organization to adopt quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms effectively.
• The steps you can take to future-proof your enterprise with quantum algorithms and cryptography while maintaining operational agility.

Let’s unpack these areas so you can protect your organization’s future before it’s too late.

Why Waiting to Adopt Quantum-Safe Cryptography Algorithms is Risky

Quantum computing is no longer a distant threat. Companies like IBM and Google have made significant strides in building quantum computers with the potential to break widely used encryption algorithms, such as RSA and ECC, within the next decade.

While we don’t know the exact timeline, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the NSA have warned organizations to proactively prepare for quantum threats. Waiting to implement quantum-safe cryptography algorithms creates a hidden risk: attackers can capture encrypted data today and decrypt it later when quantum computers become powerful enough, a move called “harvest now, decrypt later.”

By acting now, enterprises can mitigate the operational debt a last-minute scramble would cause while protecting customer trust and ensuring regulatory compliance in the future. Still, only about 5% have deployed quantum-safe algorithms [source].

Understanding Quantum Cryptography Algorithms vs. Quantum Resistant Algorithms

There is often (understandably) confusion between quantum cryptography algorithms and quantum-resistant algorithms. Here’s what you need to know:

• Quantum cryptography algorithms, such as quantum key distribution algorithms (QKD), utilize principles of quantum mechanics to secure communications by instantly detecting eavesdroppers. It requires specialized quantum hardware and, today, is impractical for wide-scale enterprise use.
• Quantum-resistant algorithms, also called post-quantum cryptography (PQC), are cryptographic algorithms meant to help resist quantum attacks while operating on a classical computing infrastructure. This is a more practical and scalable way for organizations to protect their data without the need to entirely overhaul their infrastructure.

NIST’s Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization project [source] has identified strong candidates for quantum-resistant encryption algorithms, such as CRYSTALS-Kyber (for key encapsulation) and CRYSTALS-Dilithium (for digital signatures).

These quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms are paving the way for enterprises to adopt quantum-safe encryption while maintaining operational compatibility with existing systems.

How Quantum-Resistant Encryption Algorithms Can Protect Your Data

Organizations that begin transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption algorithms now will have a significant advantage in the future. Upgrading quantum-safe encryption algorithms protects your sensitive data against future quantum attacks and demonstrates proactive risk management to regulators and customers.

Four practical steps on this path include:

1. Crypto Inventory and Risk Assessment: Identify where your organization uses encryption and which data could remain sensitive beyond the quantum horizon.
2. Build Crypto Agility: Make sure your systems can replace cryptographic primitives without downtime, as post-quantum algorithms will evolve and require updates over time.
3. Pilot Post-Quantum Algorithms: Begin testing quantum-resistant algorithms in your environment, first focusing on low-risk workloads before expanding to mission-critical applications.
4. Stay Informed and Educated: Engage with industry groups, NIST updates, and regulatory guidelines to align your adoption timeline with best practices.

This is a global issue. A recent report from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) [source] emphasized urgency in starting migrations early due to how complex it can be, particularly for organizations with large infrastructures.

Migration Considerations for Quantum-Resistant Cryptographic Algorithms

This is a complicated issue, so it’s no surprise that adopting quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms requires careful planning. After all, the transition will impact every part of your security stack, including:

• Key Management Systems: Ensure your key management and HSMs are crypto-agile and can support new algorithms without re-architecting your infrastructure.
• TLS and VPN: Begin planning for the transition of your TLS and VPN protocols to post-quantum-safe standards.
• Software Updates and IoT: For IoT and edge devices, firmware and software update mechanisms must support post-quantum signatures to maintain trust throughout the device lifecycle.
• Data Lifecycle Management: Determine what data needs to be quantum-safe now, especially if it has a long sensitivity window (such as health records, government data, or intellectual property).

While it can be complex, you shouldn’t be intimidated. Organizations that proactively implement quantum-resistant encryption algorithms give themselves a smoother path to compliance when post-quantum standards become mandatory and will avoid operational chaos if an emergency migration is necessary.

Securing Your Enterprise with Quantum Algorithms and Cryptography

Quantum computing’s power to disrupt encryption isn’t a question of “if” but “when.” Enterprises that continue to postpone adopting quantum-safe algorithms risk their data, compliance, and customer trust in the future.

By embracing quantum algorithms and cryptography now, you will:

• Protect sensitive data against future quantum-enabled decryption.
• Ensure your organization is crypto-agile and ready for regulatory shifts.
• Build customer trust through future-proof security commitments.
• Avoid the chaos and costs of a last-minute scramble toward post-quantum compliance.

At Fortanix, we help organizations prepare for quantum resilience through crypto-agile, hardware-backed key management and encryption solutions designed to support your transition to a post-quantum world with confidence.

Request a demo to see how you can secure your data with quantum-safe encryption today.