"Preparations for Quantum Cyber Threat Get a Senate Boost"

The Senate has passed the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act to bolster national security by preparing the federal government's defenses against quantum-computing-enabled data breaches. The bill aims to protect sensitive data from the threat of a quantum computer capable of decoding current cryptographic standards. Quantum computers with faster-than-ever calculation power to decipher today's encryption are still thought to be a decade or more away. However, supporters of the Biden-Harris administration's plan argue that adversaries may be harvesting data now with the intention of decrypting it later, once the technology has been sufficiently developed. Adversaries scan cybersecurity systems for flaws in order to compromise infrastructure, data, and security. Therefore, it is critical to be prepared to defend against any adversaries who use this extremely sophisticated and emerging technology against the US. The Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act largely mirrors a national security memo issued by the Biden-Harris administration in May outlining deadlines for agencies to inventory all currently deployed cryptographic systems in order to prioritize their transition to forms of encryption experts say would be impervious to fast quantum computers. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Security Agency (NSA) are working together to create standards for implementing four quantum-resistant algorithms, which NIST announced in July after inviting scientists worldwide to submit proposals. In advance of the algorithms, a January national security memo gave the NSA the power to issue Binding Operational Directives (BODs) to help agencies transition to the new standards. In addition to reiterating the administration's instructions to agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the legislation requires OMB to report on the migration effort to Congress on an annual basis. According to the press release, the reports should outline the administration's strategy and projected costs. This article continues to discuss the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act.

NextGov reports "Preparations for Quantum Cyber Threat Get a Senate Boost"