Quantum computing is advancing faster than many organizations anticipate—and its implications for cybersecurity are significant. Once quantum systems reach sufficient scale, they will be capable of breaking many of today’s encryption standards, putting sensitive business data, customer information, and regulated systems at risk.
Despite this, most organizations are not prepared. Many executive teams still view quantum‑enabled cyber threats as a future problem. In reality, waiting for vendors, regulators, or competitors to act first introduces unnecessary risk. Forward‑looking organizations are already factoring post‑quantum security into long‑term technology and risk strategies.
A quantum‑ready cybersecurity posture requires visibility, executive urgency, and coordinated action across IT, risk, legal, and governance teams. The opportunity is clear: organizations that begin preparing now can reduce long‑term exposure and avoid costly, reactive transformations later.
Is your current security posture ready for the post-quantum era?
As quantum computing advances, traditional encryption and data protection strategies face growing long-term risk.
Request a security posture evaluation to review your current controls, identify high-risk data, and understand where post-quantum considerations should be factored into your roadmap. Our team will help you assess risk today and plan next steps with confidence.
Why Post‑Quantum Cybersecurity Is a Board‑Level Issue
Most enterprises are still modernizing core cybersecurity practices such as zero trust, cloud security, and ransomware resilience. Against that backdrop, preparing for quantum threats may feel premature. However, the risk is no longer theoretical.
Adversaries are already adopting a “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy—stealing encrypted data today with the expectation that it can be decrypted once quantum capabilities mature. Any data that must remain confidential for years—financial records, intellectual property, healthcare data, or regulated customer information—is already at risk.
For executive leaders, post‑quantum cybersecurity is not simply a technical concern. It is a long‑term business continuity, compliance, and reputational risk that belongs in strategic planning discussions today.
Executive Strategy for Post‑Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
Preparing for the post‑quantum era is not a single technology upgrade. It is a multi‑year transformation that requires cryptographic agility, disciplined data governance, and early alignment with emerging standards.
Industry guidance increasingly points toward completing a full migration to post‑quantum‑ready solutions between 2030 and 2035, reflecting the complexity of the transition. Organizations that delay action risk compressed timelines, higher costs, and operational disruption.
Executives should view PQC readiness as a phased initiative—one that begins with visibility and planning, not wholesale system replacement.
Five Executive Actions to Prepare for Quantum Cybersecurity Threats
1. Establish Executive Awareness and Ownership
Quantum readiness must start at the leadership level. Executives should understand that quantum risk is not a distant technology issue—it is a strategic risk that should be addressed within five‑year business and IT roadmaps.
Without executive sponsorship, investments stall, policies remain outdated, and accountability becomes unclear. Clear ownership ensures momentum and alignment across the organization.
2. Inventory High‑Value and Long‑Lived Data
Once leadership is aligned, organizations should conduct a comprehensive assessment of their sensitive data. Every business unit should be able to answer four fundamental questions:
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What data do we store?
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Where is it stored?
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Who has access to it?
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How is it protected today?
This exercise identifies the information most attractive to attackers—particularly data that must remain confidential for many years. For executives, this inventory becomes a foundation for risk prioritization and investment decisions.
3. Reduce Risk Through Data Retention Discipline
One of the most effective—and often overlooked—ways to reduce quantum exposure is to reduce unnecessary data retention.
Some data loses sensitivity over time and can be securely deleted. Other data, such as personal, medical, or proprietary information, may require long‑term protection. A clear, enforceable data retention policy helps ensure organizations are not protecting more data than necessary—and not carrying unnecessary long‑term risk.
4. Strengthen Protection for Critical Data Assets
For data that cannot be deleted, organizations should focus security investments where they matter most:
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Reduce exposure: Limit unnecessary transmission of sensitive data across public networks.
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Adopt zero trust principles: Default to least‑privileged access and restrict data sharing unless explicitly required.
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Increase encryption strength today: While classical encryption will not defeat future quantum attacks, stronger encryption raises the cost for adversaries now and extends the security lifespan of existing systems.
These actions buy valuable time as post‑quantum standards mature.
5. Align with Emerging Post‑Quantum Standards
Post‑quantum cybersecurity is evolving rapidly. Executive teams should ensure their organizations are tracking guidance from standards bodies, government agencies, and leading technology providers.
Tools will help—but tools alone are not enough. Long‑term resilience requires embedding cryptographic agility into systems, vendor relationships, and governance frameworks so algorithms can be replaced without major disruption.
How Leading Organizations Are Preparing for the Quantum Era
Across industries, organizations with mature cybersecurity programs are already taking action by:
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Inventorying cryptographic assets to identify where keys, certificates, and algorithms are embedded
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Prioritizing data that must remain confidential for 5–10 years or longer
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Designing systems for cryptographic agility to enable future algorithm changes
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Beginning adoption of post‑quantum cryptographic standards
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Upgrading infrastructure to support stronger encryption
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Running executive‑level tabletop “Q‑Day” exercises to test readiness and decision‑making
Organizations are also engaging vendors on post‑quantum roadmaps and monitoring regulatory developments—recognizing that early preparation reduces future disruption.
Preparing Your Organization for Post‑Quantum Cybersecurity
Quantum‑enabled cyber threats are not a distant scenario. As quantum computing becomes more accessible, it will challenge long‑standing assumptions about digital security. Organizations that act early will be better positioned to protect sensitive data, maintain customer trust, and meet future compliance requirements.
Datalink helps organizations assess cybersecurity risk, identify long‑term data exposure, and build practical, phased roadmaps for post‑quantum readiness. From security audits to infrastructure modernization, our team partners with executive leadership to prepare for what’s next.
To discuss your organization’s readiness for the post‑quantum era, connect with Datalink’s Cybersecurity Experts.
