QUANTUM COMPUTING: Federal Actions Needed to Prepare for Emerging Cyber Threat

Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems much faster than standard computers. But they could also break cryptography--the mathematical processes that can "lock," "unlock," or authenticate information--on federal systems. This could put sensitive data at risk. Experts believe a quantum computer capable of breaking such cryptography could be developed as soon as the 2030s. To protect their data, federal agencies need to transition their systems to more secure cryptography. But they haven't gotten ready to do this, by, for example, fully identifying vulnerable systems or testing quantum-resistant algorithms.