PQC: From awareness to action

Post-quantum cryptography protects data and digital identities against attacks from sufficiently powerful quantum computers.

Two announcements from the past 10 days show how preparation is becoming more practical.

On October 1, Cloudflare added support for post-quantum algorithms to its Workers application platform.

In simple terms, developers gained tools to test new ways of establishing secure connections and verifying digital signatures.

The support requires an explicit configuration setting.

These are building blocks for testing, rather than a completed migration.

Also on October 1, the National Security Agency announced new PQC transition resources.

The announcement reinforced requirements for National Security Systems: new commercial systems must support quantum resistant algorithms starting in 2027.

Legacy systems lacking support must be phased out by 2030.

These requirements apply to National Security Systems, rather than every business.

My takeawayPQC preparation starts with understanding your dependencies and testing the changes.

Leaders should focus on:

• Mapping where cryptography protects data, connections, and identities.
• Prioritizing information requiring years of confidentiality.
• Requesting product-specific migration plans from vendors.
• Testing performance and compatibility before deployment.
• Assigning ownership across security, networking, applications, and procurement.

A vendor announcement is evidence of progress.

Your readiness depends on what your systems support and what your teams have validated.

Which critical system will your organization assess first?