Quantum cryptography implementation timelines must be shortened, industry CEO to tell Congress

"The outcomes of pairing a fault-tolerant quantum computer with AI software are not definitively known, but experts like Zervigon are worried about the ramifications that combining advanced computing capabilities with AI algorithms will have on the current encryption schemes that have made up modern cybersecurity protocols. "It creates a vulnerability that we have been very...insulated from because [for] basically 50 years three algorithms have kind of led the encryption charge for us," he said."

"Quantum XChange, founded in 2018, specializes in implementing the post-quantum cryptographic algorithms standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology across network encryption architecture. Zervigon warned that a common mistake organizations make is not fortifying the network's entire architecture when incorporating quantum-resistant algorithms. "Probably the first key statement that I'll make in terms of this is that the question that we should all be asking is: What happens when the algorithm breaks?" he said."

Convergence of AI and quantum computing creates new cyber fault lines that can undermine current encryption. Pairing a fault-tolerant quantum computer with AI software could break existing encryption schemes and introduce unforeseen vulnerabilities. A small set of algorithms dominated encryption for roughly 50 years, leaving systems insulated until advanced computing capabilities erode those protections. Organizations face the risk of harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks before practical quantum computers arrive. Implementing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms requires fortifying entire network architectures rather than swapping algorithms in isolation. Planning must include contingency strategies for when established algorithms fail.

Read at Nextgov.com