This article is contributed by Benjamin Lopez, Lead Security Specialist at Bona Fide Conglomerate INC
It’s easy to feel like “quantum security” lives mostly in conference keynotes and whitepapers, somewhere abstract, somewhere later. The tech world has cycled through enough grand predictions that hesitation feels reasonable. But the reason quantum computing deserves your attention right now isn’t urgency or hype. It’s the simple reality that some of the data your organization is protecting today will still need to be secure decades from now. And long timelines change the stakes.
Security isn’t about protecting information just for today. It’s about protecting it long enough that it can no longer harm the people or organizations it relates to. Some data ages quickly and becomes harmless. But some remains sensitive for a very long time: health histories, financial identities, defense communications, proprietary research, legal records, strategic plans tied to future operations. That category of data doesn’t get to “expire.” And that’s where the conversation about quantum computing becomes concrete.
Why Quantum Matters Even Before It Arrives
The issue isn’t that quantum computers are already breaking modern encryption. They aren’t. The issue is that attackers don’t need to break encryption right now to take advantage later. They can simply steal encrypted data today and store it, operating on the expectation that future computing power will eventually make decrypting it feasible.
This approach, often called “harvest now, decrypt later,” is already happening. And it forces us to change how we think about risk. It means the encryption we’re relying on today to protect long-lived data must still be strong decades into the future. So the question becomes less “when will quantum computers be broadly capable?” and more “how long does our data need to stay secure?”
If the answer is ten years or longer, preparation starts to look less optional and more like anticipatory governance.
Where Encryption Lives (And Why This Transition Takes Time)
One of the challenges organizations face is that encryption isn’t a single system you can swap out. It’s layered everywhere:
- In databases and application code
- In internal and external API communication
- In authentication frameworks
- In cloud storage and key management services
- In networking tunnels and certificates
- In vendor appliances and legacy systems
It’s the plumbing of modern infrastructure. You don’t always see it, but everything depends on it. And like plumbing, changing it requires care and planning. This is why quantum transition planning isn’t something to “rush when things get urgent.” The work takes time, and starting early allows that time to be used thoughtfully instead of reactively.
The Good News: There Are Quantum-Safe Standards Already
This isn’t a research-only space anymore. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has already selected and standardized post-quantum cryptographic algorithms designed to resist quantum attacks. This tells us two things:
- The threat model is real enough to design for.
- You don’t need to guess which algorithms to use — the roadmap is already forming.
The technology path is not the barrier. The transition process is.
So What Should CIOs Actually Do Now?
No alarms. No disruption. Just a steady start.
1. Identify Data That Must Remain Secure Long-Term
Start with one question:
If this data were decrypted 10–20 years from now, would it still matter?
Examples that typically qualify:
- Medical or identity records
- Intellectual property and R&D
- National security and defense-related data
- Financial transaction histories or audit archives
Make this a short list. A page, not a binder.
2. Map Where Your Organization Uses Encryption
This step takes time, but it’s foundational. You’re looking for:
- Which algorithms are used (RSA, ECC, AES, etc.)
- Where keys are stored and how they’re rotated
- Which vendors and cloud services rely on which cryptographic libraries
Most organizations underestimate this step. Treat it like establishing a clean blueprint before renovation.
3. Talk to Your Vendors About Their Post-Quantum Roadmaps
This can be a single sentence in your next vendor review:
“When will you support NIST-approved post-quantum algorithms?”
Responses will tell you:
- Who is preparing
- Who is behind
- Where your dependencies will become bottlenecks
Record the answers. They matter.
4. Start Small Pilot Tests
Don’t announce a sweeping migration. Don’t re-architect anything.
Just introduce quantum-safe algorithms in low-risk environments:
- A sandboxed internal service
- A non-critical data processing workflow
- A backup system you can easily revert
This helps uncover:
- Performance impacts
- Integration issues
- Code that assumes old cryptographic behavior
Real-world lessons beat theoretical documentation every time.
5. Prepare Your Team with Context, Not Panic
People don’t need quantum physics lessons.
They need clarity on:
- Why this matters
- What will likely change
- Where to watch for incompatibilities
When teams understand the why, the work becomes aligned instead of forced.
The Real Heart of This
This isn’t about being first. And it’s not about fear. It’s about continuity.
Security leadership is, at its core, a long trust exercise. People depend on us to make decisions now that protect them later. The future will arrive at its own pace. Our job is simply not to let it arrive faster than our preparation.
Start With One Action This Week
Keep it simple: Make a list of the data in your organization that needs to stay confidential for at least the next ten years.
That single act changes the conversation from abstract to real. Once you see what must endure, the rest of the roadmap becomes visible.
Planning for quantum security is not about urgency. It’s about not being caught by surprise.
And you have time- as long as you use it.
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About the Author: Benjamin Lopez is the Lead Security Specialist for Bonafide Conglomerate, INC, an IT and Cybersecurity provider for the U.S. Government and private organizations. Ben focuses on practical security strategy and clear communication between technical teams and executive leadership. Benjamin is particularly interested in long-horizon risks like post-quantum cryptography and resilient infrastructure design.
