Quantum Computing Forces Shift to Post-Quantum Security - Mexico Business News

The transition of quantum computing from experimental environments to production phases has compromised the security of current asymmetric encryption standards. Organizations like Palo Alto Networks now adopt post-quantum cryptography frameworks to protect long-term data integrity against emerging decryption capabilities. The projected obsolescence of widely deployed cryptographic methods, such as RSA and ECC, stems from the capacity of quantum computers to resolve complex mathematical problems in significantly reduced time frames. "Quantum (computing) will do many things that are exciting and beneficial, but one of the destructive things is that it will break many of the cryptographic systems that we use (to) protect all our information behind the scenes," says Dustin Moody, project leader, post-quantum cryptography standardization, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This technical vulnerability facilitates "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks. In these scenarios, malicious actors capture encrypted communications in the present to decrypt them once quantum hardware achieves the necessary stability and processing power. The cybersecurity landscape faces a critical convergence between artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Nikesh Arora, CEO, Palo Alto Networks, says during the Quantum-Safe Summit that quantum technology is no longer a theoretical scientific project but an operational reality with documented success in stable computing tasks. The integration of these capabilities accelerates the decryption of traditional security protocols, which compromises sensitive government and industrial information. This shift gains relevance due to the accumulation of "cryptographic debt," referring to the persistence of legacy protocols in outdated applications, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and infrastructure that lacks the architecture to resist quantum-scale processing. In response, the NIST has initiated the publication of advanced algorithms and standards. These frameworks, as the institute notes, provide the technical guidance necessary for both the public and private sectors to begin a structural migration to quantum-resistant environments. To address these vulnerabilities, Palo Alto Networks has introduced its Quantum-Safe Security solution. This technology is designed to enable a scalable migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) without interrupting enterprise operations. The architecture is built upon four foundational pillars: 1. Continuous Discovery through Ecosystem Ingestion The platform ingests telemetry from various systems, including PAN-OS, Prisma Access, and third-party tools, to create a unified cryptographic map. By integrating with configuration management databases and asset management tools, the system maintains a dynamic Cryptographic Bill of Materials. This provides visibility into every cryptographic dependency across the infrastructure of the US-based or international enterprise. Using contextualized intelligence, the solution correlates the strength of detected algorithms with the criticality of business assets. This process allows security leaders to prioritize remediation for the most vulnerable areas, ranging from deprecated protocols to high-value assets at risk of HNDL attacks. The framework facilitates a systematic transition through three technical stages: Quantum Readiness: Preparing assets for the implementation of new algorithms. PQC and Hybrid Configurations: Deploying post-quantum cryptography or hybrid models that utilize both classical and quantum-resistant methods. Cipher Translation: Providing virtual protection for legacy systems that cannot support direct software or hardware upgrades. The solution automates framework auditing to ensure alignment with global standards, including FIPS 140-3 and the Digital Operational Resilience Act. It features Active Drift Detection, which identifies and blocks the use of weak or noncompliant ciphers in real time. This prevents developers or external services from accidentally reintroducing insecure protocols into the environment.

Palo Alto Networks says the Quantum-Safe Security solution is available starting Jan. 30, 2026. Additional integration enhancements are planned for April 2026. To facilitate adoption, the corporation provides a Quantum Readiness Assessment. © 2025 Mexicobusiness.News. A Mexico Business Company.

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