Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)

Post-quantum cryptography is the shift from today's widely used encryption methods to new algorithms designed to stay secure even if large-scale quantum computers become practical. You will also see it shortened to PQC, and the core question most teams start with is simple: what is PQC, and what do we need to do about it?

If you are responsible for security, risk, or infrastructure, PQC is not a research topic anymore. It is a planning topic. The organizations that do well here treat PQC as a program — discover, prioritize, remediate, and keep the environment crypto-agile — not a one-time swap.

A good place to ground this in real operational terms is AQtive Guard, which is designed to help teams understand and manage cryptographic risk across systems.

What is PQC?

PQC (post-quantum cryptography) refers to cryptographic algorithms designed to resist attacks from both classical computers and quantum computers. The high-level idea:

• Some of today's public-key cryptography could be weakened if powerful quantum computers emerge.
• PQC algorithms are designed to provide similar security goals without relying on the math that quantum algorithms could exploit.

You do not need to be a cryptographer to act on this. You need a clear inventory and a realistic migration plan.

Why PQC matters now (even if "quantum is not here yet")

Most teams underestimate how long crypto change takes.

PQC matters now because:

• Cryptography is embedded everywhere, often invisibly.
• Vendors, libraries, devices, and protocols create dependencies you do not fully control.
• Migration is rarely "flip a switch." It is an upgrade path across apps, data flows, and third parties.

There is also a common risk pattern: data captured today could be stored and decrypted later if it remains valuable and the cryptography becomes breakable. Not every dataset is high value long-term, but many are.

The real challenge is not picking an algorithm

Most PQC conversations get stuck on algorithms. The operational problem is usually something else:

1. You do not know where cryptography is used.
2. You cannot quickly see which systems are exposed.
3. You cannot prioritize what matters most.
4. You cannot coordinate remediation across owners and vendors.
5. You cannot prove progress to leadership.

This is why PQC quickly turns into a cryptography management problem, even if the trigger is quantum.

What "good" looks like: a practical PQC roadmap

1) Discover cryptography across the environment

You need a reliable view of:

• where encryption is used
• which algorithms and key sizes are present
• which libraries and dependencies are in play
• which business systems are affected

This is the step that determines whether the rest of the program is smooth or chaotic.

2) Prioritize based on exposure and value

Not everything needs to move first. Prioritization should consider:

• internet-facing vs. internal systems
• critical business functions
• long-lived sensitive data
• third-party dependencies that will take time to change

A PQC plan that treats everything as equal ends up delivering nothing.

3) Remediate in waves

Most organizations need waves, not a single migration event:

• quick wins where upgrades are straightforward
• coordinated migrations where vendors or protocols are involved
• longer tail work in legacy systems

4) Build crypto agility so you do not repeat this pain

Crypto agility is the capability to change cryptographic implementations without rewriting everything. In practice, this means:

• standardizing how crypto is used across teams
• reducing one-off implementations
• building governance and validation into releases

PQC software vs. a PQC platform

You will see both terms in the market. Here is a clean way to think about it.

PQC software often refers to point solutions or tooling that helps with a specific part of the journey, such as assessment reports, library support, testing utilities, or specific remediation workflows. This can be valuable, but it usually does not solve the program end-to-end.

A PQC platform implies program capabilities across the lifecycle: discovery and inventory at scale, prioritization and risk scoring, remediation tracking and governance, reporting for leadership and audits, and ongoing monitoring to prevent drift. If you are an enterprise with many systems, a platform approach usually becomes necessary because the problem is not static.

AQtive Guard is built for teams that need continuous visibility and control rather than a one-time assessment.

Common PQC pitfalls to avoid

Treating PQC as a one-time project

PQC is a catalyst for better cryptography management. If you only "upgrade once," you will be back here again with the next change.

Waiting for perfect certainty

You do not need perfect predictions about quantum timelines to start. You need a program that reduces risk and increases agility over time.

Letting ownership become unclear

Crypto spans app teams, infra, security, vendors, and compliance. Without clear ownership, migrations stall.

Skipping measurement

A PQC program needs metrics leadership understands:

• percent of systems inventoried
• percent prioritized
• percent remediated in wave 1, wave 2, wave 3
• number of critical exposures remaining

To translate PQC into an actionable enterprise program:

• AQtive Guard
• SandboxAQ

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