Bottom line: Quantum computers threaten encrypted data stored today retroactively; credentials are the most critical attack target and should take priority in migration paths to post-quantum cryptography.
Data encrypted today, such as login credentials, could become readable by quantum computers in the future, since elliptic curves and RSA will no longer be secure. For CISOs, this represents a critical prioritization challenge in the migration to post-quantum cryptography.
Current public-key methods such as elliptic curves and RSA are considered secure today, but will be compromised by sufficiently powerful quantum computers in the foreseeable future. Although no organization currently has quantum hardware capable of breaking these algorithms, technological development continues to advance steadily.
This presents security professionals with an immediate problem: credentials and other data currently encrypted, which attackers have already recorded, could be decrypted retroactively once quantum computers become available. This risk is often referred to as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” – a strategic business model for threat actors who collect sensitive datasets and wait for the technical capability to decrypt them.
Access credentials require particular attention, as their compromise has immediate operational consequences: a leaked password or API token enables direct access to critical systems and data repositories. Unlike individual encrypted messages, compromised credentials can undermine an entire organization’s security model.
Migration to post-quantum cryptography is therefore not a technical gimmick, but a regulatory and operational necessity – particularly in light of the NIS2 Directive and similar requirements that obligate organizations to future-proof their cryptographic infrastructure.
Source: thehackernews.com · Published 29 June 2026
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