Quantum Readiness: why organizations need to prepare today

AUSED and Italtel explore how organizations can prepare for the evolution of quantum-related cybersecurity threats

How should organizations prepare for a technological shift whose exact timing cannot yet be predicted? This was the central question addressed during the “Quantum Readiness: Where to Start?” webinar, organized by Italtel in collaboration with AUSED, the Italian association bringing together IT and digital executives and professionals, on September 16.

The online event brought together CIOs, CISOs and technology professionals to explore the implications of quantum computing for cybersecurity and, above all, to understand what organizations can do today to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.

The discussion highlighted a key point: Quantum Readiness is not about waiting for the arrival of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer. It is about building the ability to anticipate change and adapt infrastructures, technologies and processes over time.

The quantum challenge is already on the cybersecurity agenda

During the firse part of the webinar, Pietro Urbano Mimmo, Head of Strategic Marketing & Innovationa di Italtel, provided an overview of the quantum computing landscape, from the basic concepts and current state of the technology to the expected evolution of computing capabilities.

Although cryptographically relevant quantum computers are not currently available as off-the-shelf technologies, the progressive development of quantum computing is already raising questions about the long-term resilience of today’s cryptographic systems.

The challenge is particularly relevant for public-key cryptography, which underpins key exchange, authentication and digital identities across many digital services. As quantum capabilities evolve, organizations will need to move beyond static assumptions about the lifetime of cryptographic algorithms and adopt architectures that can evolve as technologies, standards and threats change.

This is why Quantum Readiness should be considered a strategic and continuous process rather than a future technology project.

Harvest Now, Decrypt Later: why preparation cannot wait

One of the key issues discussed during the webinar was the “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” scenario. Sensitive data encrypted today can potentially be collected and stored until sufficiently powerful quantum computing capabilities become available to decrypt it.

This makes the issue relevant even before quantum computers reach the capabilities required to break current cryptographic systems.

The level of urgency, however, is not the same for every organization or every type of data. The potential impact depends on factors such as the sensitivity of information, the required lifetime of confidentiality and the time needed to transform the underlying systems and infrastructures.

Organizations operating in areas such as government and defense, critical infrastructure, telecommunications and utilities, financial services and healthcare may therefore need to assess their exposure particularly carefully.

The discussion with participants also highlighted the importance of looking beyond organizations directly involved in quantum technologies. The transition towards quantum-safe security can affect entire digital ecosystems, including technology providers, partners and supply chains.

From assessment to crypto-agility

The second part of the webinar focused on the practical steps organizations can take to address the challenge.

Fabrizio Bianchi, Quantum Security Expert di Italtel, presented a possible roadmap for CIOs and CISOs, starting with a fundamental activity: understanding the organization’s current cryptographic landscape.

This means identifying cryptographic assets, understanding their dependencies, locating sensitive data and applications, assessing vulnerabilities and defining priorities according to business risk.

From there, organizations can evaluate different technological approaches, including Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and SKE/DSKE, selecting and combining them according to specific security and infrastructure requirements.

A central concept in this process is crypto-agility: the ability to introduce, update or replace cryptographic components without requiring disruptive changes to applications and services.

Rather than adopting a “big bang” replacement approach, organizations can therefore build modular architectures capable of evolving progressively as standards and technologies mature.

Architecture, governance and the ecosystem

Quantum Readiness goes beyond the adoption of individual technologies. It requires an integrated approach combining technology, architecture, governance and ecosystem management.

The roadmap discussed during the webinar starts with assessment and risk prioritization and progresses towards the gradual adoption of quantum-safe technologies, while aligning with the organization’s existing technology refresh and transformation cycles.

Three elements are particularly important:

• Crypto-agile architectures, designed to facilitate the evolution of cryptographic components.
• Centralized governance, providing visibility and control over cryptographic assets, policies and technology choices.
• Supply-chain involvement, extending the assessment of quantum-related risks beyond the organization’s own infrastructure.

This approach helps organizations preserve operational continuity and interoperability while protecting existing investments and preparing for future developments.

Quantum Readiness is a continuous journey

The experience shared by Italtel during the webinar also reflects its broader work in cybersecurity, systems integration and technology innovation, including projects and experimentation across telecommunications, automotive, Beyond 5G, financial services and mission-critical infrastructures.

The key takeaway is that there will be no single “Quantum Day” comparable to an event such as the Millennium Bug. The transition will instead take place progressively, as quantum technologies, cryptographic standards and threat scenarios continue to evolve.

For organizations, this means that preparation should start with understanding the current exposure, defining priorities and building the capability to adapt over time.

Quantum Readiness starts today.

Italtel supports organizations in assessing their cryptographic exposure, evaluating quantum-safe technologies and designing crypto-agile infrastructures ready to evolve with the threat landscape.