The Crypto landscape is rapidly changing. Many of the encryption systems we use today are based on binary algebraic methods. These methods are easy to solve in one direction, but impossible to solve in the other direction unless you hold the secret key. There are some scholars who do not believe quantum computers will be used at scale even in the future due to the mass amounts of compute it requires to operate them. The Security industry is now faced with an option to wait to take action in preparing for Quantum Computing or begin preparations now. The challenge being if we wait until quantum computers are regularly used to begin making changes, what has already been compromised?

As quantum computers are not readily available, the steps each organization will need to take are not clearly defined. NIST has gone through many rounds of testing for Quantum Resistant algorithms and has released some that they believe will hold up to this new way of computing. Organizations may not be ready to begin using these algorithms, but there are practical steps that can be taken now in order to identify sensitive data, and take inventory of assets that will need to be first protected when or if this does become a reality.

Speaker 

Justin Simpson

Abby Willis

CJ Mayo

Content Level

Intermediate to Advanced