Nist

The quantum computing revolution is accelerating, with major breakthroughs in 2024 bringing us closer to cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQCs). Current RSA and elliptic curve cryptography will become vulnerable to quantum attacks within the next decade. Organizations must begin migrating to quantum-safe cryptography now to avoid catastrophic security failures. Understanding the Quantum Threat Quantum computers leverage quantum mechanical phenomena to perform calculations exponentially faster than classical computers for specific problems. Shor’s algorithm, when implemented on a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, can break current public-key cryptographic systems in polynomial time. ...

The quantum computing revolution is no longer a distant future concept—it’s an approaching reality that threatens to fundamentally disrupt our current cryptographic infrastructure. As quantum computers inch closer to practical viability, organizations worldwide must grapple with a sobering truth: the encryption methods protecting our digital world today will become vulnerable to quantum attacks tomorrow. The Quantum Threat Timeline Recent developments in quantum computing have accelerated the timeline for “Q-Day”—the moment when quantum computers become powerful enough to break current public-key cryptography. While IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle processor and Google’s 70-qubit Sycamore represent significant milestones, cryptographically relevant quantum computers (requiring thousands of logical qubits) remain years away. ...