What does cybersecurity look like in the quantum age?

A Penn State professor warns quantum computing’s exponential speed will revolutionize industries but also create unprecedented cybersecurity risks by breaking current encryption methods. Quantum machines could crack RSA and ECC encryption in minutes, exposing financial, military, and healthcare data to attacks, according to Swaroop Ghosh, an expert in computer and electrical engineering. Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is being developed to resist quantum attacks, with NIST standardizing algorithms like CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium by 2024-2025 for future-proof security. Ghosh emphasizes hybrid systems—combining classical and quantum-resistant encryption—as a transitional defense until full PQC adoption is achieved globally. Businesses and governments must prioritize quantum-safe infrastructure now, as quantum hacking threats could emerge within a decade, outpacing traditional cybersecurity measures.