Cyber risk has a way of cascading within and across organizations. These risks defy geographic boundaries and blur the seams between industries. Now, with the quantum threat to encryption, certain cyberattacks may cause even greater harm. Cyber risk is not only accelerating across the economy鈥搃t鈥檚 also accumulating over time. Emerging quantum technologies require you to think differently about cyber risk. Federal agencies and businesses must understand how quantum introduces significant鈥攁nd sometimes permanent鈥攏ew risks.
Quantum computers use quantum mechanics to create new pathways through difficult problems. Some say quantum computers are 鈥渇aster鈥 than classical computers, but that can make it easy to miss what鈥檚 really happening. Quantum computers will dramatically accelerate certain calculations, but it isn鈥檛 because they perform mathematical operations faster. Rather, the speed-up comes from using mathematical operations beyond the reach of today鈥檚 computers. This shift introduces and . Elsewhere, we鈥檝e discussed quantum鈥檚 potential to improve positioning, navigation, and timing, financial optimization, healthcare diagnostics and treatment, and more.
This article focuses on the threat: Quantum computers are capable of breaking modern cryptography, thus compromising sensitive data and communications.