Quantum’s Leap: How Cyber Leaders Are Preparing for the Post-Encryption Era with Applied Quantum | 21

In this episode, Ciaran and James are joined by Paul Chichester CMG, MBE, Director of Operations at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, to explore how cyber threats have evolved over the decades. Drawing on more than 30 years' experience at GCHQ, Paul reflects on the progression, from early digital espionage to major nation-state attacks and the rise of ransomware and explains why collaboration and partnership remain essential to building a safer online world.

Highlights

Quantum 101: Beyond Ones and Zeros

A radically different way of computing using qubits instead of bits

• What is quantum computing? | McKinsey
• What Is Quantum Computing? | Council on Foreign Relations
• Powerful quantum computers in years not decades, says Microsoft - BBC News
• Quantum Computers Could Solve Countless Problems—And Create a Lot of New Ones

Why Quantum Computing Matters to Cybersecurity

How quantum computers could change the rules of digital security.

• What is Asymmetric Cryptography? Definition from SearchSecurity
• Shor’s Factorization Algorithm - GeeksforGeeks | Shor, I’ll do it
• Thirty Years Later, a Speed Boost for Quantum Factoring | Quanta Magazine

Regulations and The Push for Global Readiness

Governments and regulators worldwide are demanding quantum-readiness plans

• Quantum Readiness Toolkit – World Economic Forum
• 5 principles to accelerate your organization’s quantum cyber readiness | World Economic Forum
• President Biden Signs Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act
• Quantum | Shaping Europe’s digital future
• Roadmap for the migration to post-quantum cryptography for the Government of Canada (ITSM.40.001) - Canadian Centre for Cyber Security
• Timelines for migration to post-quantum cryptography - NCSC.GOV.UK
• UK Quantum Skills Taskforce report - GOV.UK
• UK’s £2 Billion Compute Roadmap Signals Country's Ambition For Quantum Leadership
• Cyber chiefs unveil new roadmap for post-quantum cryptography migration
• S. Senators Introduce Amendment for Federal Agency PQC Migration Strategy and Pilot Program - Quantum Computing Report

Existential Threats – Cracking the Uncrackable

From the looming “Q-Day” to real-world RSA cracking claims

• The Quantum Apocalypse Is Coming. Be Very Afraid | WIRED
• Chinese scientists claim they broke RSA encryption with a quantum computer — but there's a catch | Live Science
• NIST to Standardize Encryption Algorithms That Can Resist Attack by Quantum Computers
• 'Harvest now, decrypt later': Why hackers are waiting for quantum computing | VentureBeat

Glossary of Key Terms

• PCQ What Is Post-Quantum Cryptography? | NIST
• DES standards What is Data Encryption Standard (DES)?
• 3DES Triple Data Encryption Standard - Glossary | CSRC
• AES standards Advanced Encryption Standard - Glossary | CSRC
• RSA What is the RSA algorithm? | Definition from TechTarget
• Zero trust architecture Introduction to Zero Trust - NCSC.GOV.UK.
• QML Quantum Machine Learning: The Next Big Thing In Artificial Intelligence?.

Additional Resources

• Applied Quantum
• Physics in a minute: The double slit experiment | plus.maths.org.
• Monty Python: Bridge Troll
• Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - The Talk
• A man calls quantum IT support and complains that his quantum computer isn't working.
• Schrödinger's cat

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