Get ready to do things differently!  As someone who works in cybersecurity, business continuity or crisis management, you must continually adapt your strategies to emerging technologies and risks.

Quantum computing is an excellent example of a technology that necessitates doing things differently. However, you must prepare by applying best practices and learning as much as possible about the topic.

What Is Quantum Computing’s Impact on Cybersecurity?

Whereas classical computing uses a binary system and bits as its information system, quantum computing relies on the qubit. Machines capable of solving problems with quantum computing can process them much faster than traditional computers.

Perhaps the most significant way this characteristic affects cybersecurity is that quantum computers may make existing cryptographic measures — including encryption techniques — obsolete. Industry professionals are understandably concerned.

These are not unfounded, far-fetched worries. Consider how researchers in China recently used a commercially available quantum computer to decrypt a functional public key. Since those researchers had to deploy a specific technique and build upon earlier research to get their results, those familiar with the matter still believe we are several years away from facing the genuine and widespread threat of quantum computing making current encryption methods dysfunctional.

The ideal thing to do now is to recognize that quantum computing has the potential to forever disrupt present cybersecurity defense measures. Additionally, you must begin working with others in your organization to determine how you will tweak your security strategy as quantum computing looms as a potential threat on the horizon.

1. Stay Upbeat About the Possibilities

Although many sources you’ll find discuss how quantum computing could make cybersecurity more complicated, some researchers believe it will also improve circumstances. That makes sense because most technologies have good and bad aspects, and it all comes down to how parties use them. Artificial intelligence is an excellent example of that reality. It has strengthened cybersecurity by making it easier for IT teams to spot abnormalities, but the technology has also allowed criminals to create new attack methods.

It is a similar situation with quantum computing. Although it may break current encryption options and necessitate thinking differently about cybersecurity, these advancements could also improve security. One example comes from a university team that created a new random number generator. They believe it could create the groundwork for a quantum communication method that makes digital information exchange safer and more economical.

This research proves why you should not assume quantum computing will only complicate your cybersecurity strategy. It will likely improve some things while making others more challenging.

2. Maintain Data Security Practices

Some preparedness steps for quantum computing involve continuing what you are currently doing. Take your data security precautions as an all-encompassing example. Now is an excellent time to audit them and look for weaknesses. Do you already follow all best practices? If so, that’s great. If not, set a timeline for when you will make the necessary changes.

What’s the quantum computing-related reason to keep your organization’s data as secure as possible? Some cybersecurity professionals warn of the possibility of so-called “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. Those involve cybercriminals taking lucrative encrypted data and waiting until quantum computers are available to turn that information into a usable format. Those familiar with the matter have differing opinions about whether this cybersecurity threat is happening yet. Even so, many agree treating it as a potential concern is crucial.

If your organization makes it prohibitively difficult for cybercriminals to get data for any reason, the likelihood is very low that some may target it for these types of attacks. Review the available encryption options — including encrypting data at the device level — to determine the most appropriate ones to deploy.

3. Review the Locations of Sensitive Data

It is also important to verify where your organization stores sensitive data and which protective measures have been applied. Your company may also already have specialty tools that make safeguarding it easier. For example, a data loss prevention system typically has features that show whether data deemed sensitive gets used unintendedly, prompting those responsible to make urgent changes.

It is impossible to know the exact ways cybercriminals will behave once quantum computing becomes a more accessible reality. However, reacting to what you already know is the best way forward. More specifically, it is well-established that those who steal data prefer highly sensitive information. They aim to cause the most disruption possible with their attacks and know that the most revealing or private data is usually much more valuable on the dark web.

You can only explore the optimal ways to protect information once you have verified its location. Since many companies handle such large quantities of information from multiple sources, it is often easy to lose track of what happens to it. If that is the case in your company, make a concrete plan for improving that issue. Otherwise, sensitive data may already be at risk, and it could become difficult or impossible to protect it before cybercriminals target the content.

4. Ensure Training Content Is Relevant

It would take a classical computer 300 trillion years to break some encryption types. However, quantum computers may do that in seconds. That stark contrast shows why you must update employee training programs to prepare learners for the possibility of someday following new cybersecurity procedures to keep systems and information safe in a quantum computing-driven world.

A good starting point is introducing workers to quantum computing concepts, recognizing that they will be foreign to most or all those undergoing training. Cover those using understandable language and connecting the material back to their daily work. Know, too, that some employees may feel uncertain about the future, especially since quantum computing’s impact on cybersecurity represents wholly new territory.

Remain accessible so they can ask questions that arise. Emphasize the importance of being adaptable and willing to learn since both of those qualities will assist them in learning and embracing new skills. It is also wise to regularly review emerging research about quantum computing and integrate some of that insight into your curriculum to keep it current.

Get Ready to Do Things Differently

No one can say for sure what the cybersecurity landscape will look like once quantum computing is widely available and accessible. However, it is a virtual certainty that the technology will disrupt current cybersecurity measures and necessitate updated strategies. Remaining flexible and well-prepared for that time will help your organization swiftly adapt when the time comes.

######

Photo credits:   Gerd Altmann, Pixabay