Dr Colin Soutar
CYBERSECURITY
Dr Colin Soutar
MD of Deloitte & Touche LLP and a Global Quantum Cyber Readiness Leader
Deloitte
Dr Colin Soutar , Managing Director , Deloitte
After the NIST announced three encryption standards that are believed to be resistant to decryption from quantum computers , it has been estimated that 20 billion digital devices globally will likely need to be upgraded or replaced with quantum-safe alternatives . While quantum computers may not be widely available for another decade , updating cryptographic algorithms is a lengthy process that can also take 10 years or more . Therefore , planning for quantum cyber readiness must begin now .
“ Quantum computing could be significantly beneficial to society , delivering breakthroughs in drug discovery and financial modeling , however , quantum computing could also undermine numerous existing public-key encryption methods if realized on a large scale ,” Dr Colin Soutar commented .
“ For many years , Deloitte has been activating the quantum cyber readiness industry , including collaborating with the World Economic Forum to establish a quantum security program in 2021 , and hosting a number of discussions with leaders from both government and industry . We need to look at this topic less about speculating exactly when a CRQC will be available , and more about what organisations can do to prepare for it .”
122 January 2025