What Every CISO Needs to Know About Post-Quantum Cryptography
Harvest Now, Decrypt Later attacks are happening today. Your window to act is narrowing — here's your prioritized action plan.
The Compliance Landscape Is Shifting
Regulatory timelines are compressing. CISOs who wait will face both technical debt and audit findings.
NIST PQC Standards (2024)
FIPS 203, 204, and 205 are finalized. NIST SP 800-131A will be updated to deprecate current key exchange algorithms. Your risk register needs updating now.
DoD / CMMC 2.0
Defense contractors face NSA's Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0 (CNSA 2.0) requirements. CMMC 2.0 audits will increasingly scrutinize cryptographic controls starting in 2025–2026.
SEC Cyber Disclosure Rules
The SEC's cybersecurity disclosure rules require material risk reporting. Undisclosed cryptographic exposure from HNDL attacks could constitute a material risk — and a governance gap.
Your Cryptographic Risk Exposure
Most organizations don't know what cryptographic algorithms they're running — until they're breached or audited.
What You Probably Don't Know
- Which certificates in your PKI use RSA-2048 or EC P-256 (both quantum-vulnerable)
- Which vendor APIs or SaaS dependencies use legacy TLS key exchange
- Where long-lived secrets (VPN keys, code signing certs) are stored and when they expire
- Whether any data in cold storage was encrypted with algorithms that are now vulnerable
What Aeroxis Delivers for CISOs
- Automated crypto-agility scan across your entire infrastructure
- Prioritized risk register with remediation timeline and cost estimates
- Board-ready briefing deck (CISO-to-CEO language, not technical jargon)
- Compliance gap analysis against NIST, CMMC, FedRAMP, and SEC requirements
Reporting Quantum Risk to Your Board
Board members don't need to understand lattice-based cryptography. They need to understand risk exposure, timeline, and cost.
Quantify Exposure
Map your cryptographic inventory. Identify which data assets are at risk if quantum computers become viable in 5–10 years.
Establish Timeline
Build a phased migration plan. Long-lived data and critical infrastructure come first. Show the board a 3-year roadmap with milestones.
Secure Budget
Frame PQC migration as an infrastructure investment, not a security cost. Tie it to compliance deadlines to justify urgency.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do CISOs need to act on post-quantum cryptography?
Now. Nation-state adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data through Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL) attacks. NIST finalized PQC standards in 2024, and NSA requires PQC for national security systems by 2027. CISOs who wait risk both operational exposure and compliance failures.
How do I report quantum cryptography risk to my board?
Frame it as a data-at-rest risk with a concrete timeline. Show which encrypted assets are vulnerable, estimate the migration timeline and cost, and tie it to existing compliance obligations (CMMC, FedRAMP, NIST CSF). Aeroxis provides board-ready briefing decks as part of our CISO engagements.
How long does a PQC migration take?
Typically 12–24 months from first crypto discovery audit to full migration. The timeline depends on the size of your cryptographic inventory, the age of your infrastructure, and vendor support for PQC algorithms. Early discovery shortens the path significantly.
What compliance frameworks require post-quantum cryptography?
NIST SP 800-131A, FIPS 140-3, CMMC 2.0 (DoD suppliers), and emerging FedRAMP updates all reference or mandate quantum-resistant cryptography. SEC cyber disclosure rules also create board-level reporting obligations for material cryptographic risk.
Schedule a Free CISO Briefing
60 minutes. We'll review your current cryptographic posture and give you a prioritized action list — no sales pitch, no obligation.