Quantum computers are expected in the near future to break cryptographic schemes. As a result, critical data is already at risk today if it is intercepted and later decrypted using quantum computers. At the 5th PQC Update hosted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security AISEC, experts in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) presented the current status of international PQC migration and gave recommendations for action: companies and public authorities must now, at the latest, inventory their cryptography, set priorities and protect particularly sensitive data first, combine classical and PQC schemes, and establish crypto agility. The need for action is considerable, as PQC is also relevant to the EU’s NIS 2 directive, which will have to be implemented in Germany from the end of 2025 to enhance cybersecurity. The EU roadmap calls for PQC migration of critical infrastructures by 2030 and full implementation by 2035.

Quantum computers are expected to break many of the cryptographic schemes that currently protect our communications – for online banking, healthcare data, digital IDs, and industrial facilities. Cryptographic mechanisms safeguard the confidentiality (via encryption) and integrity (e.g., via signatures) of data and IT systems. Attackers can already copy confidential data unnoticed today and decrypt it later. Organizations that must keep information secret for years or decades can no longer rely on classical cryptography alone.

Between science fiction and regulatory pressure

Yet many companies and public authorities do not know exactly where and how they use encryption, which certificates protect which applications, or which legacy systems can hardly be updated anymore. While smaller companies often still see the topic as science fiction, operators of critical infrastructures face intense regulatory pressure. This is where Fraunhofer AISEC’s “PQC Update” networking event came in, which, for the fifth time, brought together around 130 experts from research, industry, public administration, and politics to address the question: How can the transition to quantum-secure schemes be successfully implemented in practice?

Standards, roadmaps, and initial real-world applications are in place

The foundations for PQC migration have been laid: the US based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – one of the world’s leading research institutions for measurement science and technology standards – has selected and published the first post-quantum-secure schemes as standards. Germany and many other European countries are basing their roadmaps on these.

Legal requirements set clear tasks and deadlines: according to the EU roadmap, critical infrastructures in Europe must have completed their PQC migration by 2030. Full implementation is planned by 2035. Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the central cybersecurity authority in Germany, is relying on hybrid approaches that combine classical cryptography with quantum-secure schemes.

The NIS 2 directive (Network and Information Security) – an EU-wide law to strengthen cybersecurity, which obliges significantly more companies than before to implement security measures and report security incidents and holds executive management directly liable – also requires important and large companies to systematically plan, document, and regularly review their cryptographic schemes, including across their supply chains.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) – a leading, open international community of networking experts that develops and evolves technical standards for the internet – is reworking major internet protocols, for example for web connections, VPNs, email, and remote access. Major providers are already deploying these building blocks, meaning that parts of the internet are already quantum-secure today. Pilot projects with electronic ID cards, identity documents, and secure hardware chips in Germany demonstrate that quantum-secure schemes are suitable for everyday use even on hardware systems.

Five concrete recommendations for action

What does this mean in concrete terms for business and public administration? The 5th PQC Update highlighted five key points:

1.       Create transparency: Fully document the use of cryptography, ideally through automated “Cryptography Bill of Materials” – a detailed, machine-readable inventory of all cryptographic algorithms, protocols, keys, and certificates used in a piece of software or an IT system.

2.       Prioritize risks: Secure sensitive data with long-term protection needs first.

3.       Ensure crypto agility: Design infrastructures so that cryptographic schemes can be easily replaced.

4.       Introduce hybrid schemes: During the transition, combine classical and PQC components to maximize security.

5.       Promote collaboration: Implement PQC guidelines, actively help shape standards, and build internal expertise – together with partners.

Prof. Daniel Loebenberger and Prof. Marian Margraf, organizers of the 5th PQC Update and heads of the Center of post-quantum cryptography excellence at Fraunhofer AISEC, agree: “The building blocks for a quantum-secure future are on the table. Now it’s up to us to act together. Post-quantum cryptography is not a niche discipline but the foundation for ensuring that digitalization remains trustworthy ten or twenty years from now. Those who start early and bring their ecosystem on board can manage the transition step by step now – instead of having to react later under time pressure and in crisis mode.”