Cybersecurity
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Rising pressure to prepare for post-quantum cryptography

Once quantum computers reach sufficient scale, traditional cryptographic systems, which are used in digital signatures and secure communications, will be extremely vulnerable to attack.

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Many of our current infrastructures lack crypto-agility, which slows transitions to robust cryptographic systems and leaves them exposed to Store Now-Decrypt Later (SNDL) threats. Most organisations are or will be exposed to these decryption threats, and their data (communication) protection readiness hinges on adopting Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC).

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Currently, the US agency NIST has released standards for PQC encryption and is encouraging system administrators to begin transitioning as soon as possible. In addition, European initiatives such as the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) seek to build secure communication networks using quantum key distribution (QKD), enabling and accelerating the distribution of cryptographic keys.

Maturity

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More diversified access to large AI models Increase in co-evolution between hardware and AI Collaboration between humans and AI Democratisation of XR content creation using generative AI Public investments in XR continue to increase Standardisation of data space architectures for secure and trusted data sharing Growing significance of augmented data management Trusted digital recognitions are emerging Digital Trust Frameworks: from hierarchical to distributed trust Emerging dualuse of AI in cybersecurity More accessible privacy-enhancing technologies to share data Rising pressure to prepare for post-quantum cryptography Emergence of measures for secure Internet of Things The growing need for security protocols to work in the cloud Growing investments in the European cloud infrastructure & sovereignty More AI-driven hardware in data centres to manage workloads in the cloud Increasing need for heterogeneous and hybrid computing platforms Trade-offs in accuracy with approximate computing Fixed wireless access Fibre optic networks: strategic infrastructure for the knowledge economy Enhancing quantum computing robustness and potential Quantum sensing integration to other domains

Drivers

Impact

education

Education

  • Post-quantum security breaches are possible due to open IT environments, dependence on third-party cloud providers, and the long retention of confidential data.
  • Identities could be compromised, with the exposure of gradebooks, assessments, or personal info.
  • Archived teaching content, communications, or certification records could be forged or altered.
Research

Research

  • “Store now, decrypt later” is a significant threat to research confidentiality. Data such as genetic records and AI models intercepted today could be decrypted years later, exposing proprietary or sensitive findings.
  • Research partners may hesitate to share data or collaborate if quantum-insecure systems are in use, leading to a breakdown in trust-based collaboration.
  • Universities involved in patentable or commercially relevant research could lose a competitive advantage in the event of intellectual property theft.
  • Failure to secure data may lead to funding body restrictions or non-compliance with ethical and legal requirements.
Operations

Operations

  • The emerging risk of quantum computers eventually breaking today’s encryption algorithms is already prompting “store now, decrypt later” tactics by state-affiliated actors, targeting data with long-term sensitivity. Therefore, key PQC infrastructure must be established. Without early PQC action in terms of policy and infrastructure funding, institutions risk long-term data exposure and eroded trust.
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