Preparing for the Post-Quantum Era: A Call to Action
CISA and G7 urge transition to post-quantum cryptography to counter future threats.
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Summary
CISA and the G7 Cyber Security Working Group have released a joint call to action emphasizing the critical need for organizations and governments to prepare for the post-quantum era. The document outlines five key priorities for transitioning to post-quantum cryptography (PQC), including raising awareness, developing national strategies, advancing research, fostering public-private partnerships, and integrating PQC into procurement processes to safeguard sensitive data and critical assets.
The lesson from this incident
Full lessonCurrent public-key cryptographic standards (RSA, ECC) are mathematically vulnerable to sufficiently powerful quantum computers, meaning encrypted data intercepted today could be decrypted in the future — a threat known as 'harvest now, decrypt later.' CISA and the G7 have issued a joint call to action because most organizations lack awareness, strategy, or roadmaps for transitioning to quantum-resistant algorithms. The urgency stems from the long lead times required to replace cryptographic infrastructure across government systems, critical sectors, and supply chains. Failing to begin this transition now risks catastrophic exposure of sensitive data, national security secrets, and financial systems once capable quantum hardware emerges.