Q‑Day: When Quantum Hosts RSA’s Retirement Party

Pop quiz #1: Who created RSA encryption, and why is it called that?

ANSWER: RSA encryption was developed by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman in 1977 at MIT. The algorithm's name—RSA—comes from the initials of their surnames.

Pop quiz #2: Who created Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)?

ANSWER: Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) was co-invented independently in 1985 by Neal Koblitz, a mathematician at the University of Washington, and Victor Miller, a researcher at IBM.

Pop quiz #3: Who came up with an algorithm that could shatter both these approaches?

ANSWER: Peter Shor at MIT in 1994. He published an algorithm that, in theory, could shatter the encryption protecting every bank transaction, every government military secret, every pharma drug formula, every private message on the Internet.

Back then, the world barely noticed. How could you possibly create a quantum computer? Yawn…

Fast forward.

The Biden administration issued a directive in July 2024 requiring all U.S. government agencies to develop a strategy for moving to post-quantum cryptography, or PQC.

Quantum expert Michele Mosca (founder of evolutionQ and co-author of the Global Risk Institute's Quantum Threat Timeline Report) estimates there is a 1-in-3 chance that Q-Day—the point at which a quantum computer can break classical public-key cryptography—will arrive before 2035.

Google recently set an internal deadline of 2029 to completely migrate to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and protect all its systems from Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers (CRQCs).

Ready to stop wondering how safe your mission-critical data really is?#Join us in Boston at Quantum.Tech World June 25 and 26 to hear how thought leaders are planning to mitigate the "harvest now, decrypt later" threat.

Join us in Boston at Quantum.Tech World June 25 and 26 to hear how thought leaders are planning to mitigate the "harvest now, decrypt later" threat.

I'm moderating a Quantum Security track where leading experts in the field will discuss this looming crisis. You can sign up for a free Visitor Pass here. I would be delighted to have you attend as my guest.

World-class practitioners from a range of verticals will be sharing their insights, strategies, challenges, and real-world solutions, including:

• Peter Shor, Professor of Applied Mathematics, MIT (yes, that Peter Shor)
• Rich Baich, SVP and CISO, AT&T
• Michael Elmore, SVP and Global CISO, GlaxoSmithKline
• Peter Bordow, SVP & Distinguished Engineer, PQC/Quantum Systems Leader, Wells Fargo
• Dr. Adrian Stanger, Senior Cryptographic Authority, NSA
• Dr. Lily Chen, Manager, Cryptographic Technology Group, NIST
• Manfred Rieck, Chief Expert Quantum Tech, Deutsche Bahn (DB Systel)

My track will also include talks and panels with leaders from EY, Leidos, Port of Rotterdam, KPMG, Thales, Citi, JP Morgan and PwC.

The time is now to focus on protecting your data from the moment when cryptographically relevant quantum computers can crack current RSA and ECC encryption protocols.

I look forward to seeing you in Boston. Get ready for many more Pop Quiz answers!