Post-Quantum’s Algorithm Meets ISO Standard to Thwart HNDL Attacks

The timeline for current encryption being broken has dramatically shortened, with prominent experts now estimating a potential breach within the next three years. This accelerated threat is fueled by advancements like Google’s recent application of Artificial Intelligence to optimize Shor’s algorithm, reducing the physical qubit count needed to compromise systems. In response, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has included the Classic McEliece algorithm within its standard for Asymmetric Ciphers (ISO/IEC 18033-2), enabling organizations in 177 member states to upgrade their defenses. “Every major organisation should now have progressed beyond planning to active implementation of quantum-safe encryption,” says Rikky Hasan, CEO at Post-Quantum, as the algorithm gains global recognition as a robust solution against quantum cyber attack. Shor’s Algorithm & The Threat of “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” The accelerating progress in quantum computing presents a clear and present danger to existing encryption methods; adversaries are already preparing for a future where current security protocols are obsolete. This proactive threat, known as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HNDL), underscores the urgency of transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography, even before fully functional quantum computers capable of breaking encryption become a reality. Google’s recent advancements demonstrate a significant acceleration of this timeline, as the company’s application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to optimize Shor’s algorithm drastically reduces the computational resources needed for decryption. Specifically, the AI-driven optimization lowers the number of physical qubits, the fundamental units of quantum information, required to execute Shor’s algorithm, effectively shortening the estimated timeframe for a successful attack. The potential for decryption is not merely theoretical; the HNDL strategy involves the clandestine collection of encrypted data with the intention of decrypting it once quantum computers reach sufficient maturity. This standardization, encompassing the 177 member states of the ISO, provides a globally recognized framework for organizations to upgrade their encryption infrastructure. The algorithm, building upon Professor Robert McEliece’s 1978 cryptosystem, utilizes error-correcting codes to create a highly secure, code-based encryption method. Hasan further emphasizes that “ISO standardisation means Classic McEliece can be implemented more easily and consistently by governments and enterprises across the world.” The cryptographic community’s sustained inability to break the McEliece system since the 1970s, combined with its demonstrated viability in challenging environments, such as the recent airborne deployment with STV Group resulting in battlefield-ready drones, reinforces its position as a leading post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solution. Hasan concludes, “ISO’s standardisation demonstrates the technical community’s belief in Classic McEliece and its suitability for securing communications from attack by quantum computers.” Every major organisation should now have progressed beyond planning to active implementation of quantum-safe encryption. ISO standardisation means Classic McEliece can be implemented more easily and consistently by governments and enterprises across the world. The cryptographic community has attacked the McEliece system without success since the 1970’s and Classic McEliece offers the highest security assurance of any post quantum algorithm available today. Our own work for NATO and STV demonstrates the algorithm’s viability for a wide range of use cases. Rikky Hasan, CEO at Post-Quantum Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260715570640/en/Post-Quantums-Algorithm—Classic-McEliece—Achieves-Global-ISO-Standardization-to-Protect-the-World-From-Quantum-Cyber-Attack Stay currentSee today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals. Tags: Dr. Donovan Dr. Donovan is a futurist and technology writer covering the quantum revolution. Where classical computers manipulate bits that are either on or off, quantum machines exploit superposition and entanglement to process information in ways that classical physics cannot. Dr. Donovan tracks the full quantum landscape: fault-tolerant computing, photonic and superconducting architectures, post-quantum cryptography, and the geopolitical race between nations and corporations to achieve quantum advantage. The decisions being made now, in research labs and government offices around the world, will determine who controls the most powerful computers ever built. Latest Posts by Dr. Donovan: Quantinuum’s 54-Qubit Chip Braids & Fuses Anyons for Gates July 15, 2026 Less Than 3 Years Sinced Created, AQSolotl Joins NVIDIA Inception Program July 15, 2026 Harvard Engineers Shield Qubits With All-Mechanical Coherence July 15, 2026