For years, organizations have relied on cryptographic algorithms such as RSA and ECC to secure sensitive data and communications, and to establish digital trust. These algorithms form the foundation of technologies ranging from TLS certificates and VPNs to code signing and identity management systems. However, advances within quantum computing have caused concerns about how long these protections will remain effective.
While large-scale quantum computers capable of breaking today’s asymmetric cryptography are not yet available, the threat is no longer considered a remote possibility. Security teams are increasingly paying attention to a scenario known as “harvest now, decrypt later.” In this approach, attackers collect and store encrypted data today, expecting that upcoming quantum computers will be able to decrypt it. Information with long-term value, such as intellectual property, financial records, government data, and customer information, may already be at risk.
This is why organizations cannot afford to wait until quantum computers become practical. Preparing for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is expected to be a multi-year effort involving discovery, assessment, testing, and migration. The sooner organizations understand where cryptography is used across their environments, the easier it will be to plan and execute a successful transition. Building visibility today is one of the most important steps toward achieving quantum-safe security tomorrow.
Understanding the Post-Quantum Challenge
Most of today’s digital security relies on cryptographic algorithms such as RSA and ECC. These algorithms secure sensitive information, secure online communications, validate digital signatures, and establish trust between systems. Their security depends on mathematical problems that are extremely difficult for conventional computers to solve. Quantum computers, however, are expected to change that equation.
Using algorithms such as Shor’s algorithm, sufficiently powerful quantum computers could potentially break RSA, ECC, and other asymmetric cryptography methods that organizations depend on today. If that happens, attackers may be able to forge digital signatures, impersonate trusted systems, decrypt protected communications, and gain illicit access to sensitive information.
The impact spreads far beyond a few certificates. Asymmetric cryptography is deeply integrated into technologies such as TLS, VPNs, code signing, email security, PKI systems, identity management platforms, and software update procedures. A weakness in these cryptographic foundations can affect many parts of an organization’s security infrastructure.
One of the biggest challenges is that cryptographic assets are rarely centralized. Certificates, keys, and cryptographic libraries are distributed across local systems, cloud environments, applications, containers, DevOps pipelines, HSMs, and third-party services. Many organizations lack a complete inventory of these assets, making it difficult to assess their exposure and plan an effective post-quantum migration strategy.
Why Most Organizations Struggle to Begin
Most organizations understand that post-quantum cryptography is becoming an important topic, but many are unsure where to start. The biggest obstacle is not selecting a new algorithm or deploying a new technology; it’s understanding what cryptographic assets already exist across the environment.
Over time, certificates, keys, and cryptographic libraries become scattered across servers, applications, cloud services, containers, databases, network devices, and development pipelines. In many cases, security teams do not have a complete inventory of these assets. Some certificates may have been deployed years ago, some keys may be managed by different teams, and certain applications may use poorly documented or entirely unknown cryptographic functions.
Ownership can also be fragmented. PKI teams manage certificates, security teams oversee risk and compliance, DevOps teams handle release pipelines, cloud teams manage key services, and application teams make implementation decisions. Because each group often works independently, gaining a unified view of cryptographic usage can be difficult.
A further challenge is estimating the scope of a PQC migration. Organizations need to identify which systems count on vulnerable algorithms, determine business impact, understand application dependencies, and evaluate whether vendors and third-party solutions support post-quantum standards. Without accurate visibility, it is nearly impossible to estimate timelines, resources, costs, or migration priorities.
As a result, many organizations delay planning, not because they lack interest in PQC, but because they lack the information required to make informed decisions. Before a migration strategy can be built, organizations must first understand what they have, where it is located, and how it is being used.
Start With Cryptographic Discovery
Before organizations can plan a post-quantum cryptography migration, they need to understand what cryptographic assets exist across their environment. This is why inventory and discovery are often considered the first and most important steps toward PQC readiness. After all, it is impossible to replace, upgrade, or assess cryptographic assets that have not been identified.
A comprehensive discovery process should include certificates, public and private keys, HSM-stored assets, cloud KMS keys, PKI infrastructure, applications, databases, network devices, and software development pipelines. It should also uncover cryptographic dependencies that may not be readily apparent, such as embedded certificates, hardcoded algorithms, or third-party applications that rely on outdated cryptographic standards.
Discovery helps organizations answer critical questions. Where are RSA and ECC being used? Which systems count on vulnerable algorithms? Which assets secure sensitive data with a long retention period? Which applications may require significant changes to support post-quantum algorithms? Without this information, building an effective migration strategy becomes difficult.
The information gathered through discovery should be organized into a cryptographic asset register. This centralized inventory provides visibility into cryptographic assets, their locations, ownership, dependencies, algorithms, and associated risks. It functions as the foundation for prioritizing correction efforts, tracking migration progress, and facilitating long-term crypto agility initiatives.
This is where Encryption Consulting’s CBOM Secure can help. Our CBOM Secure continuously discovers cryptographic assets across on-premises infrastructure, cloud environments, HSMs, PKI deployments, DevOps pipelines, and enterprise applications. Rather than relying on spreadsheets or manual audits, organizations gain a centralized view of their cryptographic ecosystem and the algorithms in use. By providing continuous visibility, asset inventory management, and cryptographic intelligence, our platform helps organizations create a clear starting point for post-quantum cryptography planning and help make informed decisions about their PQC migration strategy.
Build a Post-Quantum Migration Roadmap
Once organizations have visibility into their cryptographic assets, the next step is creating a practical migration roadmap. A successful transition to post-quantum cryptography is unlikely to happen all at once. Instead, it requires a planned approach that focuses on the systems and assets that matter most.
A good starting point is classifying cryptographic assets based on business criticality. Assets that support customer-facing services, financial transactions, critical infrastructure, or core business operations should receive greater attention than lower-priority systems. Understanding the business impact of each asset helps security teams distribute resources more effectively.
Organizations should also identify systems that protect data with long-term sensitivity. Information such as intellectual property, healthcare records, government data, legal documents, and confidential business information may need to remain secure for many years. These systems are particularly vulnerable to “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks and should be considered early in the migration process.
Another important step is identifying high-risk cryptographic dependencies. Applications, protocols, certificates, and third-party products that depend heavily on RSA, ECC, or other quantum-vulnerable algorithms may require additional testing, upgrades, or cooperation with vendors before migration can begin.
Finally, organizations ought to align their roadmap with emerging industry guidance and standards. The publication of post-quantum cryptography standards by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) lays a foundation for evaluating and adopting approved algorithms. By mapping assets, risks, and dependencies against these standards and expected migration timelines, organizations can develop a phased approach that reduces disruption and improves long-term quantum readiness.
Move from Inventory to Crypto Agility
Creating an inventory of cryptographic assets is an essential first step, but visibility alone does not make an organization quantum-ready. Cryptographic environments are constantly changing as new applications are deployed, certificates are issued, cloud services are adopted, and security requirements evolve. A one-time assessment may provide a snapshot of the current state, but it cannot keep pace with ongoing changes.
This is why organizations should focus on building crypto agility. Crypto agility is the ability to identify, assess, and adapt cryptographic implementations without major disruption to business operations. As new threats emerge and standards change, organizations need a clear understanding of where cryptography is used and how quickly changes can be implemented.
Continuous monitoring plays a key role in this process. Security teams need visibility into vulnerable algorithms, expiring certificates, weak key configurations, unmanaged cryptographic assets, and newly introduced cryptographic dependencies. Monitoring helps organizations identify risks quickly and avoid situations where outdated cryptography goes unnoticed in production.
Tracking certificate lifecycles and algorithm usage is equally important. As post-quantum standards become more widely adopted, organizations will need to know which systems still rely on RSA, ECC, or other algorithms that might need to be replaced. Having this information readily available simplifies planning and reduces migration complexity.
Our CBOM Secure helps organizations move beyond basic asset discovery by providing continuous cryptographic intelligence across the enterprise. It provides ongoing visibility into cryptographic assets, algorithms, certificates, and key management systems, helping teams detect potential risks and compliance gaps. Through centralized reporting, risk analysis, and visibility into algorithms, our platform enables organizations to monitor their cryptographic posture over time and prepare for future cryptographic changes with greater confidence. This facilitates long-term crypto agility initiatives and helps organizations maintain control throughout their post-quantum transition.
How CBOM Secure Supports a Practical PQC Readiness Program
Building a post-quantum readiness program requires more than a one-time assessment. Organizations need clear ownership, ongoing visibility, and an organized process for managing cryptographic risks. Encryption Consulting’s CBOM Secure helps establish this foundation by providing a centralized view of cryptographic assets across the enterprise.
Our CBOM Secure supports governance initiatives by helping organizations identify asset owners, understand where cryptography is being used, and maintain accountability across security, PKI, cloud, DevOps, and application teams. It also simplifies asset inventory maintenance through continuous discovery, ensuring cryptographic records remain current as environments change.
Risk assessment becomes more effective when organizations can identify vulnerable algorithms, weak cryptographic configurations, and high-value assets on a single platform. Such visibility helps teams prioritize correction efforts and focus on systems that present the greatest risk.
As organizations begin evaluating post-quantum cryptography, our solution offers the visibility needed to identify candidate systems for testing and to plan migrations. Continuous oversight and centralized reporting help track progress, measure risk reduction, and maintain awareness of cryptographic changes over time. Together, these capabilities help organizations build a practical and sustainable PQC readiness program.
Conclusion
Preparing for postquantum cryptography is not simply a technology upgrade; it is a business and security initiative that requires planning, visibility, and long-term commitment. Before organizations can assess risks or plan migrations, they must first understand where cryptography exists across their environment. Cryptographic discovery and asset visibility provide the foundation for every successful PQC strategy.
Organizations that start preparing today will be better positioned to reduce future disruption, prioritize high-risk assets, and conform to emerging cryptography standards.
Our CBOM Secure helps organizations begin their post-quantum journey with continuous cryptographic discovery, asset inventory management, risk analysis, and centralized visibility across enterprise environments, providing the foundation for successful PQC readiness and crypto agility initiatives.
