U.S. Quantum Push Raises the Stakes for Post-Quantum Security

The U.S. government’s current push in the field of quantum computing is increasing the pressure on companies worldwide to future-proof their IT security strategies. At the same time, international regulatory authorities are accelerating the adoption of post-quantum cryptography and setting specific timelines for migration. Companies should therefore take early action to protect their IT infrastructures against future quantum-based cyberattacks and to meet regulatory requirements in a timely manner.

[datensicherheit.de, 08/04/2026] The window of opportunity for digital security is closing as international governments and certification authorities push forward with the transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Following the U.S. president’s recent initiative on quantum computing and post-quantum security, companies are increasingly faced with concrete timelines for securing their infrastructures against the threat of quantum-enabled cyberattacks. The migration to PQC for key exchange is expected by 2030, and the implementation of PQC for digital signatures and identity verification by 2031.

As quantum computing advances, organizations need a clear roadmap to protect their digital future

European authorities are also driving this development forward: The French cybersecurity agency ANSSI has announced that, starting in 2027, it will exclude products without PQC capabilities from certification. Against this backdrop, Nils Gerhardt, CTO at Utimaco, is calling on companies to act now: They should identify their most sensitive data, build crypto-agile infrastructures, adopt new PQC standards early on, and anchor digital sovereignty in trusted hardware security.

Bitkom Study 2026: Many Companies Underestimate the Need for Action

However, a recent Bitkom study Quantum Computing in the German Economy 2026 reveals a significant gap between optimism and preparedness: 67 percent of German companies with more than 100 employees view quantum computing as an opportunity for their own business, yet 34 percent have not yet taken any concrete preparatory measures. The study also shows that even among companies that are already engaged in quantum computing or plan to do so, 61 percent lack any internal expertise on the subject.

Quantum Resilience as the Foundation of Digital Sovereignty

At the same time, the debate over Europe’s digital sovereignty continues to gain momentum in light of geopolitical tensions and dependence on non-European cloud providers. The focus here is less on a complete disengagement from global technology platforms and more on a secure ecosystem in which European companies, public institutions, and operators of critical infrastructure retain control over sensitive data, cryptographic keys, and security decisions. For Europe, this sends a clear message: sovereignty in the quantum age depends not only on where data is stored, but also on whether it is protected at the cryptographic and hardware levels.

This makes robust, trustworthy hardware the foundation of any credible digital sovereignty strategy. It secures cryptographic keys, identities, and security-critical processes, thereby forming a central layer for PQC migration and long-term European resilience.

Quantum Readiness: From Theory to Deadline, While Companies Lag Behind in Preparations

For companies, the practical response begins with a clear assessment of where their most valuable and long-lasting data resides—particularly information that could be vulnerable to so-called “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks. Building on this, they should create crypto-agile infrastructures that support hybrid approaches combining classical and quantum-resistant algorithms, and modernize existing systems in line with new standards such as NIST’s ML-KEM and ML-DSA. It is equally important to secure the hardware root of trust by protecting cryptographic keys and sensitive security operations with trusted hardware such as HSMs, so that quantum readiness and digital sovereignty are embedded in the infrastructure from the outset.

Nils Gerhardt, CTO at Utimaco, © Utimaco

“The era of waiting and seeing is finally over” says Nils Gerhardt, CTO at Utimaco. “With mandatory deadlines set by the U.S. government and European regulatory agencies such as ANSSI, which exclude products without PQC certification, the global IT security landscape has fundamentally changed. Companies can no longer treat quantum readiness as a theoretical project for the future; it is an urgent operational necessity. We are in a race against so-called ‘Q-Day’—the point at which quantum computers will be able to compromise today’s encryption systems. Companies that fail to adopt crypto-agile architectures today are jeopardizing their long-term data security and business continuity. As the industry prepares for the reality of quantum-based threats, Utimaco will continue to provide the technological foundation companies need to secure their data against the challenges of tomorrow.”

Further information on this topic:

datensicherheit.de, 26.07.2026
Vorbereitung auf Post-Quanten-Kryptographie: Trotz Planungsfortschritten stagniert die PQC-Umsetzung

datensicherheit.de, 04.09.2025
eperi-Warnung vor dem Post-Quantum-Datenschutz-GAU

datensicherheit.de, 16.07.2025
Fortschritte des Quantencomputings: Aktuelle Verschlüsselungsverfahren drohen obsolet zu werden / Innerhalb der nächsten fünf bis zehn Jahre wird vielfach der Eintritt des „Q-Day“ befürchtet – also der Zeitpunkt, an dem Quantencomputer leistungsfähig genug sind, heute gängige kryptographische Algorithmen zu brechen

datensicherheit.de, 16.05.2025
Quantencomputer werden die Welt verändern: Herausforderungen sowie Risiken kennen und Chancen nutzen / Rückblick auf das „FrühlingsForum 2025“ des VDI/VDE-AK Sicherheit und des ETV in Berlin mit Dr. Jan Goetz als Sprecher zum Thema „Quantencomputer – Was kommt nach KI? Wie Quantencomputer die Welt verändern können“

datensicherheit.de, 25.03.2025
Colt: Test zur quantengesicherten Verschlüsselung im optischen Netz abgeschlossen / Technologiepartner erforschen gemeinsam neue Möglichkeiten, um den von Quantencomputern ausgehenden Risiken für Verschlüsselung zu begegnen