Crypto Agility in Practice: A CISO’s Guide to Post-Quantum Readiness

Read full article from CyberArk here:  https://www.cyberark.com/resources/all-blog-posts/a-cisos-guide-to-post-quantum-readiness-how-to-build-crypto-agility-now/?utm_source=nhimg

The quantum threat is no longer theoretical—it’s operational. With quantum computing moving rapidly from research labs into real-world applications, CISOs and security leaders must prepare for a future where today’s cryptography may no longer be sufficient. The question is no longer if quantum will disrupt security, but when.

Why Post-Quantum Readiness Matters

Quantum computers have the potential to break widely used public-key algorithms like RSA and ECC, undermining protocols such as TLS that protect everything from banking transactions to cloud workloads. This shift could expose sensitive data to “harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL)” attacks, where adversaries collect encrypted information today and decrypt it once quantum capabilities mature.

Regulators and governments are already responding. The U.S. Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act mandates federal agencies to begin migrating to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Meanwhile, NIST, ENISA, and ETSI are releasing standards and guidance to help organizations take action now. For CISOs, quantum readiness is not optional, it’s a strategic imperative.

Building Crypto Agility: A Roadmap for CISOs

The most effective strategy is to embed cryptographic agility—the ability to adapt quickly to new algorithms and standards, into your security program.

 Here’s how to begin:

1. Inventory cryptographic assets – Identify all protocols, libraries, certificates, keys, and vendor dependencies in your environment.
2. Conduct a risk assessment – Prioritize systems and data most exposed to long-term quantum threats, especially sensitive information with extended lifespans.
3. Adopt hybrid cryptography – Use a layered approach that combines classical algorithms with PQC, ensuring resilience even if one fails.
4. Automate secrets and certificate management – Replace manual processes with automated issuance, renewal, and rotation to reduce risk.
5. Embrace JIT and ZSP models – Shift away from static, long-lived credentials. Implement just-in-time (JIT) access and zero standing privileges (ZSP) to minimize exposure.
6. Engage vendors – Ensure that cloud providers, software vendors, and partners have clear PQC roadmaps aligned with your own.

The Strategic Imperative

Transitioning to PQC is not a single project but a multi-year journey that requires executive support, budget, and cultural commitment. CISOs must lead by embedding crypto agility into governance frameworks, ensuring their organizations can adapt rapidly as new standards emerge.

Quantum computing is accelerating. Organizations that act now—by inventorying, assessing, automating, and adopting agile security models—will not only be protected but will gain a competitive edge in trust, compliance, and resilience.

The time for post-quantum readiness is now. Waiting until quantum computers are fully operational is not an option.