LEHI, Utah, Oct. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study from
DigiCert, Inc., the world's leading provider of TLS/SSL, IoT and
PKI solutions, reveals that 71 percent of global organizations see
the emergence of quantum computers as a large threat to security.
Most anticipate tangible quantum computer threats will begin
arriving within three years. The survey was conducted by ReRez
Research in August 2019, within 400
enterprise organizations in the U.S., Germany and Japan from across critical infrastructure
industries.
Quantum Computing Threat is Real and Quickly
Approaching
Quantum computing is on the minds of many and is impacting their
current and future thinking. Slightly more than half (55 percent)
of respondents say quantum computing is a "somewhat" to "extremely"
large security threat today, with 71 percent saying it will be a
"somewhat" to "extremely" large threat in the future. The median
prediction for when PQC would be required to combat the security
threat posed by quantum computers was 2022, which means the time
needed to prepare for quantum threats is nearer than some analysts
have predicted.
Top Challenges
With the threat so clearly felt, 83 percent of respondents say
it is important for IT to learn about quantum-safe security
practices. Following are the top three worries reported for
implementing PQC:
- High costs to battle and mitigate quantum threats
- Data stolen today is safe if encrypted, but quantum attacks
will make this data vulnerable in the future
- Encryption on devices and applications embedded in products
will be susceptible
95 percent of respondents reported they are discussing at least
one tactic to prepare for quantum computing, but two in five see
this is as a difficult challenge. The top challenges reported
include:
- Cost
- Lack of staff knowledge
- Worries that TLS vendors won't have upgraded certificates in
time
"It is encouraging to see that so many companies understand the
risk and challenges that quantum computing poses to enterprise
encryption," said Tim Hollebeek,
Industry and Standards Technical Strategist at DigiCert. "With the
excitement and potential of quantum technologies to impact our
world, it's clear that security professionals are at least somewhat
aware of the threats that quantum computers pose to encryption and
security in the future. With so many engaged, but lacking good
information about what to do and how to prepare, now is the time
for companies to invest in strategies and solutions that will help
them get ahead of the game and not get caught with their data
exposed when the threats emerge."
Preparing for PQC
Enterprises are beginning to prepare for quantum computing, with
a third reporting they have a PQC budget and another 56 percent
working on establishing a PQC budget. In terms of specific
activities, not surprisingly, "monitoring" was the top tactic
currently employed by IT. Understanding their organization's level
of crypto-agility came next. This reflects the understanding that
when the time comes to make a switch to PQC certificates,
enterprises need to be ready to make the switch quickly and
efficiently.
Rounding out the top five current IT tactics were understanding
the organization's current level of risk, building knowledge about
PQC and developing TLS best practices.
Recommendations
The DigiCert 2019 Post Quantum Crypto Survey points to three
best practices for companies ready to start planning their
strategies for securing their organizations for the quantum
future:
- Know your risk and establish a quantum crypto maturity
model.
- Understand the importance of crypto-agility in your
organization and establish it as a core practice.
- Work with leading vendors to establish digital certificate best
practices and ensure they are tracking PQC industry progress to
help you stay ahead of the curve, including with their products and
solutions. Change rarely happens quickly, so it's better not to
wait, but to address your crypto-agility now.
For more information and to get the full report, visit
https://www.digicert.com/post-quantum-cryptography.
About DigiCert, Inc.
DigiCert is the world's leading
provider of scalable TLS/SSL, IoT and PKI solutions for identity
and encryption. The most innovative companies, including 89 percent
of Fortune 500 companies and 97 out of the 100 top global banks,
choose DigiCert for its expertise in identity and encryption for
web servers and Internet of Things devices. DigiCert supports TLS
and other digital certificates for PKI deployments at any scale
through its certificate lifecycle management platform,
CertCentral®. The company is recognized for its enterprise-grade
certificate management platform, fast and knowledgeable customer
support, and market-leading security solutions. For the latest
DigiCert news and updates, visit digicert.com or
follow @digicert.
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SOURCE DigiCert, Inc.