Why CISOs Should Prioritize Quantum-Safe Cryptography Today

CISOs are used to managing a relentless string of threats. You know the drill: ransomware capabilities grow by the week; supply chain attacks are affecting more and more vendors, and employees still click phishing links despite repeated training. It's a constant balancing act between protecting data, maintaining uptime, and proving compliance with regulators and customers.

Now a different kind of threat is building momentum: quantum computing, which once sounded like a distant concern but no longer is. In fact, the window for CISOs to act is narrowing faster than most organizations realize.

Here’s Why Quantum Computing is Already a Security Risk

Today's public key cryptography secures everything from emails and VPNs to software updates and digital certificates. It works because certain mathematical problems, such as factoring large integers and computing discrete logarithms, are difficult for classical computers to compute. But quantum computers running Shor's algorithm can solve those same problems dramatically faster, putting current algorithms like RSA and ECC at risk.

The point is that adversaries don't need quantum machines to be widely available before they act. They can intercept and store encrypted data today, then decrypt it once quantum hardware matures. This "harvest now, decrypt later" strategy is already underway, and for CISOs managing sensitive intellectual property, financial transactions, medical records, or government data that must remain confidential for years, it poses a tangible and present risk. Once data is exposed, it can't be put back.

The Global Risk Institute estimates that quantum computers capable of breaking RSA-2048 are likely to exist in the coming years [source]. Even if the timelines shift, building a quantum-ready posture is a multi-year journey. The organizations starting now will be prepared, while those waiting for clearer signals will be scrambling.

What is Quantum Resistant Cryptography?

Quantum-resistant cryptography, also called post-quantum cryptography (PQC), relies on algorithms built on mathematical problems that resist attacks from both classical and quantum computers.

The leading candidates include lattice-based cryptography, which leverages the difficulty of lattice problems to build secure systems; hash-based signatures, suited to specific signing use cases; multivariate polynomial cryptography based on solving systems of multivariate equations; and code-based cryptography with error-correcting codes as its foundation.

NIST has been running a public standardization effort to identify the strongest candidates, with Kyber for key encapsulation and Dilithium for digital signatures emerging as top contenders for broad adoption [source].

What CISOs need to understand is that these algorithms are not one-for-one replacements for current systems. They carry different performance characteristics and larger key sizes, which can mean more bandwidth, more storage, and higher costs. Testing and gradual integration are required for a transition that doesn't break the environment it's supposed to protect.

Fortanix Supports a Phased Quantum Migration

Fortanix helps organizations build quantum-readiness without forcing a disruptive overhaul of existing infrastructure.

The starting point is a cryptographic inventory: identifying every system, application, and data store that relies on vulnerable algorithms, and understanding the sensitivity and lifespan of the data each one protects. Data encrypted today may need to remain confidential for decades, which means the risk window for harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks is already open for some organizations.

Next, hybrid encryption that combines classical and post-quantum algorithms lets you stay compatible with existing systems while gradually incorporating quantum-safe solutions. Fortanix makes this possible with hardware security modules (HSMs) designed to allow updates that support new PQC algorithms as standards change, all without the need to overhaul your entire infrastructure.

For key management and attestation, Fortanix Data Security Manager (DSM) gives organizations the flexibility to embrace post-quantum algorithms as they gain acceptance. With continuous monitoring and refresh policies in place, cryptographic configurations can be updated systematically over time, helping you avoid the headaches of a disruptive one-time migration.

Vendor and partner engagement is also crucial. Many enterprises get blindsided when third-party dependencies fail to meet quantum-safe standards. Fortanix works alongside cloud providers, software vendors, and hardware suppliers to map the full cryptographic landscape and identify gaps before they become liabilities.

*Learn more about: Post quantum readiness at a glance

Act Now or Catch Up Later

The post-quantum era may not be an immediate doomsday event, but a "wait and see" approach is lazy and, ultimately, costly. We’ve seen how fast things can change in the current environment, so customer demands, regulatory requirements, and quantum hardware breakthroughs could converge faster than current timelines suggest. Organizations that haven't built crypto agility into their infrastructure will face that pressure without any runway to respond.

Quantum-safe cryptography should be seen as the new foundation of a durable encryption strategy, one that protects data integrity and customer trust through a technology transition that’s already underway.

The CISOs who act now to inventory their cryptographic landscape, test quantum-resistant algorithms, and build phased migration plans give their organizations the best position to stay ahead of what's coming.

Fortanix helps organizations prepare for the quantum future while simplifying key management and crypto agility. Whether you're testing quantum-proof cryptography or building a full migration strategy, the platform supports every stage of the transition. Request a demo to see how Fortanix can help you adopt quantum-safe crypto without disruption.