The G7 Cyber Security Working Group and CISA issued a joint advisory Thursday urging governments and organizations to begin migrating to post-quantum cryptography now — before quantum computers powerful enough to break today’s encryption standards become available. The advisory points to a specific and immediate concern: attackers can already steal encrypted data today and store it, planning to decrypt it once sufficiently powerful quantum hardware exists. This “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy makes long-lived sensitive information — government records, healthcare data, trade secrets, financial records — vulnerable right now, not at some future point.
The advisory recommends organizations first identify systems holding their most sensitive data and prioritize those for migration. Rather than replacing everything at once, agencies suggest incorporating quantum-resistant algorithms into routine technology upgrades to reduce cost and disruption. Organizations that delay also risk losing government contracts: the advisory notes that procurement requirements are expected to begin favoring quantum-resistant systems. The guidance follows a 2035 migration deadline set by UK cybersecurity authorities last year and builds on President Trump’s executive action in June directing U.S. federal agencies to accelerate post-quantum adoption.