PQC Risk Management

Identify, quantify, and prioritize quantum computing risks to your organization’s cryptographic infrastructure.

Why PQC Risk Management?

The arrival of a will break the asymmetric cryptography that protects virtually all digital communications. Risk management provides the framework for understanding when this threat becomes real, what assets are exposed, and how to prioritize migration efforts.

“Organizations should not wait for quantum computers to become a reality before taking action. The time to start planning for the transition to post-quantum cryptography is now.”

— NIST IR 8547, Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography Standards

Identify

Discover every cryptographic asset in your organization and map quantum vulnerability exposure.

Quantify

Assign likelihood and impact scores to each risk, calculate composite risk levels, and estimate exposure windows.

Prioritize

Rank risks by severity, align with compliance deadlines, and allocate migration resources where they matter most.

Key Concepts

PQC risk management introduces several concepts specific to quantum-era threats. Understanding these is essential for building an effective risk register.

CRQC Timeline

A is one powerful enough to break , , and key exchange. Expert estimates for CRQC arrival range from 2030 to 2045+, with a median around 2035. Your organization's planning horizon should be based on conservative estimates.

HNDL — Harvest Now, Decrypt Later

attacks involve adversaries capturing encrypted data today with the intent to decrypt it once quantum computers become available. Data with long confidentiality requirements (healthcare records, classified information, financial data) is already at risk even though quantum computers don't yet exist.

Risk Quantification

Quantum risk is quantified as Likelihood x Impact on a 1–5 scale for each dimension, producing a risk score from 1 to 25. Likelihood considers the probability that the asset's algorithm will be broken within its required protection lifetime. Impact considers the business, regulatory, and reputational consequences of a breach.

The Risk Management Process

This workshop walks you through a structured three-step quantum risk management process:

Step 1: CRQC Scenario Planning

Model when a quantum computer could arrive and see which algorithms, compliance deadlines, and data are at risk.

Step 2: Risk Register Building

Document every quantum-vulnerable cryptographic asset with likelihood, impact, and mitigation strategies.

Step 3: Risk Heatmap Visualization

Plot your risks on a 5x5 likelihood-impact grid to identify critical migration priorities.

Executive Perspective

For CISOs and security leaders, quantum risk management is not a future concern — it's a present-day requirement. Regulatory bodies worldwide are setting migration deadlines, and the HNDL threat means sensitive data is already at risk.

Regulatory Pressure