Have you ever wondered what would happen if suddenly all passwords, bank codes and company secrets became readable like an open book? This is not the plot of a dystopian movie, but the very real scenario that awaits us with the quantum transition. As giants like Amazon and Microsoft consolidate their positions in the quantum race, the era of computers capable of shattering current encryption standards is inexorably approaching.
We are no longer talking about a theoretical possibility relegated to research laboratories, but of an imminent reality that could upset every aspect of digital security. The “Q Day” (the moment when quantum computers will make today's cryptographic protections obsolete) is just a few years away, and as we've learned with generative AI, the transition from niche technology to global revolution It can happen in the blink of an eye.
The invisible threat of the quantum transition
The quantum revolution, I said, is no longer a distant dream. It is like a train that is coming and whose whistle we can already hear. The difference? This train can open all the locks that we consider safe today.
Quantum computers work completely differently from regular computers. While our computers use bits (0 or 1), quantum computers use “qubits” that can be 0, 1, or both at the same time. This quirk of physics makes it possible to solve problems in seconds that would take regular computers centuries to solve. Among these problems is the ability to break the security codes that protect everything from our messages to our bank accounts.
When Q Day arrives, unprepared companies will find their doors wide open to cybercriminals. And I'm not just talking about banks or big tech companies. I'm talking about any online store, any app we use, any service that stores our data.
Who's Preparing for the Quantum Transition
Governments have understood the gravity of the situation. The UK has set aside £2,5 billion (about €3 billion) for quantum research over the next ten years. They wouldn't do it if it wasn't important, right?
Even big companies are moving. Apple has already introduced PQ3, a message protection system that resists quantum attacks. Google, IBM and other giants are investing billions in quantum research.
But what about all the other companies? The ones that don't have billions to spend? Those are the ones most at risk. As I like to say, in the quantum transition there are no spectators: only participants, willingly or unwillingly.
What to do to survive
The good news is that there is still time to prepare, although not much. Here's what companies should do, simply explained:
- Take inventory: understand where they use encryption (passwords, secure connections, customer data)
- Update systems: switch to security methods resistant to quantum attacks (so-called PQC systems, Post-Quantum Cryptography)
- Plan: decide what to protect first and what after, because you can't do everything at once
It's not easy, but it's necessary. And the longer you wait, the more difficult and expensive it becomes. As the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) wrote: act now, not later.
Time is running
Experts say Q Day could come in about five years. But history teaches us that technology often surprises us, accelerating suddenly.
Who predicted how quickly ChatGPT would change the way we work? Likewise, quantum computers could make the leap from the lab to the real world much faster than we think.
Companies that prepare now will have a huge advantage. Not only will they have more computer security, but they will also gain the trust of customers. Those who wait… well, they may not get a second chance.
The quantum transition is coming. The countdown has begun. And as always in technology, those who adapt survive.
Those who remain still, no.
