NIST finalizes post-quantum standards as 'harvest now, decrypt later' threat grows

Current encryption relies on math problems that classical computers cannot crack in reasonable time, but sufficiently powerful quantum computers could break several of these algorithms. A key concern is the 'harvest now, decrypt later' attack, where adversaries collect encrypted data today and store it until quantum decryption becomes feasible. This makes the threat immediate for any data that must remain confidential for a decade or more, such as medical records or trade secrets. In 2024, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized its first post-quantum cryptographic standards, ML-KEM for key exchange and ML-DSA for digital signatures. Security experts currently recommend a hybrid approach that combines classical and post-quantum algorithms, ensuring protection breaks only if both are compromised simultaneously.