Becoming Quantum Safe (eBook)

Protect Your Business and Mitigate Risks with Post-Quantum Cryptography and Crypto-Agility

Jai Singh Arun, Ray Harishankar, Walid Rjaibi (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025
282 Seiten
Wiley (Verlag)
978-1-394-37433-5 (ISBN)

Infos

A practical guide to navigating cryptographic challenges in the era of quantum computing.

Becoming Quantum Safe: Implementing Post-Quantum Cryptography to Mitigate Risks and Protect Your Business is a is a definitive, pragmatic guide designed for CISOs, CTOs, CIOs, CROs, CCOs, CDOs, DPOs, security leaders, and technology executives who need to understand and act on the challenge posed by quantum computing to current cryptography. This comprehensive playbook delivers step-by-step strategies for transitioning to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)-ensuring your organization remains secure, compliant, and resilient in the quantum era.

Authored by leading experts in cybersecurity, cryptography, and quantum technologies, this book demystifies the quantum threat, explains the vulnerabilities in today's encryption, and provides clear, actionable guidance to achieve crypto-agility and implement quantum-safe cryptography.

What You Will Learn:

• What is Quantum Computing and how it Threatens Current Encryption
  Understand the basics of quantum computing and the challenges it poses to RSA, ECC, and other widely used encryption. Gain explanations of Shor's Algorithm, Grover's Algorithm, and how they impact classical cryptography.
• Practical Crypto-Agility Strategies
  Learn how to build a crypto-agile enterprise-one that can rapidly adopt, test, deploy, and manage new cryptographic standards without disrupting business operations.
• A Roadmap to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Adoption
  Follow a proven, step-by-step framework to transition from classical to quantum-safe cryptography. Identify key milestones, address operational challenges, and implement solutions that safeguard data, operations, and digital trust. Learn about the consortia work that brings together players in the ecosystem and how one can leverage the work being done to accelerate the quantum safe journey.
• Case Studies Across Industries
  See how global leaders in banking, financial services, government, telecommunications, healthcare, and retail are adopting post-quantum cryptography to mitigate risks, achieve compliance, and future-proof their security infrastructure.

Why This Book Matters Now:

• The quantum threat to encryption is real and time-sensitive. Quantum computers will render today's encryption obsolete, exposing sensitive data, customer trust, and business continuity.
• Regulatory pressures are rising. Governments and standards bodies across the globe are mandating quantum-safe transitions.
• Organizations that embrace crypto-agility today will lead the future, maintaining a secure competitive edge in a quantum-powered world.

JAI SINGH ARUN spearheads global business strategy, product management, engineering, and go-to-market execution for IBM Quantum Safe.

RAY HARISHANKAR is an IBM Fellow in the Quantum team. He leads business and technical strategy for IBM Quantum Safe.

WALID RJAIBI is a Distinguished Engineer and Chief Architect for Quantum Safe at IBM Research. He leads innovations to make the world quantum safe.

Textauszug

CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Quantum Computing and Its Impact

“Nature isn’t classical, dammit, and if you want to make a simulation of nature, you’d better make it quantum mechanical.”

—Richard Feynman

This chapter introduces the basics of quantum computing, how it is different from “classical” computing, why that difference is important, and how it is applied to solve some critical problems. We also call out the urgency of action needed on the part of business entities and government agencies to address the impact of one particular use case of quantum computing—factorization.

Evolution of Computing

Human ingenuity and the relentless pursuit of progress have long served as driving forces in the evolution of computing. From the days of the abacus used by the Chinese, Sumerians, and Egyptians to the advent of mechanical computing devices, or calculators, as early as the 17th century, humans have continued to evolve and develop the ability to compute using devices. Charles Babbage (1791–1871), a renowned English mathematician, is often credited with the conceptual design of the modern-day computer.

The advent of vacuum tubes ushered in the transition from mechanical to electronic computing. The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was the first computer built using vacuum tubes, in 1946. The IBM 603 was the world’s first mass-produced electronic calculator, and it used about 300 vacuum tubes in its calculating unit. “To IBM’s astonishment, customers liked the 603 and placed orders for it” [1].

Modern computers, also known as classical computers, rapidly came into existence and gained popularity with the invention of transistors. Transistors not only miniaturized the computers but also made them faster, cheaper, and more reliable. Integrated circuits that contained multiple transistors on a single chip further drove miniaturization and adoption. The notion of a personal computer came into existence, and the PC revolution was effectively ushered in during the 1980s and early 1990s. IBM introduced the IBM Personal Computer in 1981, setting the standards for personal computer hardware for years to come. Complementing the hardware, sophisticated software systems also emerged, and the Microsoft MS-DOS operating system and the notion of applications running on MS-DOS further accelerated the adoption and consumption of PCs. Apple developed and released the Macintosh (or Mac) series of hardware and a companion operating system, offering an alternative to MS-DOS and later Windows-based PCs.

The advent of the Internet and increasing connectivity to it changed the face of computing as well as communications. A parallel and very significant development based on this increased and almost ubiquitous connectivity was the development and proliferation of mobile devices. Smartphones capable of communication and computation drove computing into the hands of millions of consumers. Coupled with cloud computing and increased access to reliable connectivity and communication, computing has evolved several orders of magnitude in a very short time. The Internet of Things (IoT) has driven connectivity to billions of devices, and the emergence of significant processing capabilities through Graphics Processing Unit (GPUs) has catapulted capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI).

The current state of computing is marked by unprecedented advancements in processing power, AI, and connectivity, transforming industries and everyday life with smarter, faster, and more interconnected technologies. In the midst of all this progress, a new paradigm of computing has emerged and gained significant ground in recent years. This is quantum computing. Quantum computing represents one of the most promising and revolutionary advancements in the field of computing.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing represents a revolutionary leap in the field of computation, promising to solve problems that are currently intractable for classical computers. By harnessing the principles of quantum mechanics, quantum computers can perform complex calculations at unprecedented speeds. It is a groundbreaking field that promises to reshape the future of technology and problem-solving. Unlike traditional computing, which has driven innovation for decades, quantum computing opens the door to an entirely new way of approaching complex challenges. It holds the potential to dramatically accelerate solutions to problems that today’s fastest computers would take years—or even centuries—to solve.

What makes quantum computing so exciting is not just its speed, but its ability to handle complexity. In fields like medicine, finance, energy, and logistics, some problems involve many variables, changing conditions, and structural complexities. Quantum computers are expected to be able to explore these possibilities more efficiently, offering insights and answers that could revolutionize industries.

Imagine being able to design new medicines in a fraction of the time it takes today, or discovering entirely new materials with properties we’ve never seen. Not only this, but banks and insurance companies could manage risks better, supply chains could be optimized in real time, and climate models could become more accurate and actionable.

Although still in development, quantum computing is attracting major interest from governments, universities, and corporations worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century, and its progress is being closely watched. The full impact of quantum computing may still be a few years away, but the journey that began in the early 2000s has started to accelerate with major breakthroughs and progress milestones achieved and announced on a regular basis. In June 2025, IBM, a leader in quantum computing, announced that it would have the first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in 2029. Researchers are making steady progress in overcoming obstacles, and businesses are preparing for a future where quantum technology becomes part of everyday operations. Even now, many are beginning to think not just about what quantum computers can do, but how they will change what we consider possible.

Beyond its technical promise, quantum computing represents a shift in mindset. It encourages us to rethink how we approach the world’s hardest problems—by embracing uncertainty, exploring multiple paths, and imagining radically different outcomes. Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize various fields by solving problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computers (see Figure 1-1) [2].

Figure 1-1: Problem domains addressed by computing paradigms

There is a misconception that quantum computers are, in general, faster than classical computers in solving all problems. It is true that quantum computers can solve certain types of problems significantly faster than classical computers, but that does not mean they are faster overall:

• There is a set of problems that classical computers are best suited for and that is not suitable for quantum computers. Multiplication of two numbers is a great example of that.
• There is a set of problems that classical computers cannot solve but quantum computers can. Factorization of an integer is one such problem.
• There is a set of problems that classical computers can solve but quantum computers are much better at solving. Optimization is one such problem.
• There is a set of problems that neither classical nor quantum computers can solve.

Applications of Quantum Computing

As a revolutionary new compute paradigm, quantum computing presents the potential to solve industry problems that were previously very difficult to solve or had to be solved through approximation methods. The field of applied quantum computing is developing quickly, with approaches and algorithms to solve real-world problems across industries. The type of problems that quantum computers solve can be classified into the following categories:

• Chemistry and materials
• Search and optimization
• Mathematical problems

These broad solution areas are developed into specific algorithms and applied to targeted industries to solve real-world problems. Although still in its early stages, quantum computing holds immense promise. As the technology matures, its ability to solve practical challenges will redefine industries and push the boundaries of what computers can achieve. Companies like IBM are working actively with industry, academia, and government to explore quantum computing and apply it in new ways to solve real-world problems and benefit society [2].

The following are some of the potential business applications of quantum computing:

• Optimization: Quantum algorithms have the potential to solve complex optimization problems more efficiently, benefiting industries such as logistics, finance, manufacturing, and energy. For example, quantum computing could optimize supply chains, financial portfolios, and traffic flows [3].
• Numerical simulation: Quantum computers are used to simulate business scenarios because they offer increased fidelity and the potential to perform significantly more complex simulations than current classical computers can. Monte Carlo simulations on quantum computers have multiple applications, and specialized...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 17.9.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Informatik ► Theorie / Studium
• Schlagworte: asymmetric cryptography • Certificates • Compliance • Crypto-Agility • Cryptographic Risks • Cryptographic Vulnerabilities • Cryptographic Vulnerabilities Mitigation and Remediation • Cryptography Assets • Cryptography Objects • Cryptography Posture Management • cryptography standards • Data Security • Encryption • Governance • Keys • PKI Cybersecurity • post-quantum cryptography • PQC • PQC Case Studies • PQC Migration • PQC Standards • private key • Public Key • Public Key Infrastructure • Quantum Resilient Cryptography • Quantum Safe Cryptography • Regulations • Risk • Whitfield Diffie
• ISBN-10: 1-394-37433-X / 139437433X
• ISBN-13: 978-1-394-37433-5 / 9781394374335