With every passing year, technology advances exponentially. There are times when we come across a newly developed program only to realize that it’s miles ahead of everything we know.

The Global Risk Institute published a report Quantum Threat Timeline in 2019 which surveyed 22 academics on the likely forecast timetable for a quantum computer to break PKI. The majority consensus was around 15 years. Since then, the weight of investment has moved quantum computing out of the conservative realm of academia where small fixed budgets and an absence of economic incentive do not spur rapid innovation and into the commercial market. We can see clearly that big companies like Google, IBM and Amazon have already deployed quantum computers in their data centers to start real business cases with their customers and use their power to achieve goals that classic computers cannot. This is the reality.

The situation isn’t different in terms of cyberattacks and other malicious online activities either. We are fast approaching the era of quantum computers, theorized to be even a million times faster than the fastest supercomputers we have today. You can certainly understand that once the first end user quantum computers enter the scene, the current systems and technologies will become obsolete instantly.

Let’s get things straight first. Quantum attacks won’t be here for a while. Simply because technology is not yet a reality everywhere. But that does not mean the attacks are not feasible or possible.

Now, the present issue with future quantum attacks is twofold:

  1. They will become a reality at some point — it’s only a matter of time.

  2. Even though the focus is on cracking encryption, there are other attacks that need to be addressed and we should raise awareness.

Due to this issue, which requires immediate attention, many companies and governments themselves have already begun working on a solution. Or, to be more precise, they’ve started planning around it.

As a matter of announcement, in my recent book Introduction to Adversarial Quantum Computing in Practice using Qiskit, I expose this exact problem. I also touch on other possible quantum attacks and the very existence of quantum malware. The practical point of view will give the readers an insight into the tactics and techniques of future adversaries using quantum computing for malicious activities.

It’s crucial to stay ahead of the curve in cybersecurity, as it’s the only way to protect your business. Breaches are constantly increasing in number and scope, and we have no way of knowing if hackers will keep the data until they find a way to decrypt it. That’s why it’s vital to protect your information now before it’s too late.