Quantum computing and the awareness of quantum enabled threats are no longer a futuristic concept. They are fast-approaching reality with profound implications for cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, and business strategy.
When conducting the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Data Protection and Governance Services 2025 Vendor Assessment research, I was pleasantly surprised that post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is gaining significant momentum. It is shaped by sector-specific priorities and a few broad enablers such as regulatory deadlines and NIST standards. For example, U.S. federal agencies, Canadian federal government IT systems and, EU member states must be quantum-resistant by 2035, with some mandates as early as 2030. NIST has released PQC standards while simultaneously announcing the deprecation of widely used algorithms like RSA and ECC by 2030, and fully disallowing them after 2035.
In response, a reality check is needed: organizations need to transition toward quantum-safe cryptography faster than what they might comfortable. Recognizing this new reality, IDC predicts 40% of G2000 organizations are expected to engage cybersecurity professional services firms by 2027 to conduct quantum risk assessments and prepare for the post-quantum era.
Why Quantum Risk Assessments Matter
Quantum risk assessments are the first step in understanding how vulnerable an organization’s digital assets are to quantum-enabled threats. These assessments typically involve:
- Inventorying cryptographic assets across applications, databases, and communication channels.
- Evaluating exposure to “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, where encrypted data is stolen today and decrypted once quantum computers become powerful enough.
- Prioritizing systems for migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC).
- Developing a roadmap for secure, scalable, and compliant transition.
Why G2000 Enterprises Must Act Now
For G2000 enterprises, especially those with global operations, complex IT environments, and high-value data face significant risks if they delay quantum readiness. Benefits of early action include:
- Risk mitigation: Organizations that delay quantum preparation risk data breaches, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. Early assessments help identify and mitigate these risks.
- Customer trust: In sectors like finance, healthcare, and government, data security is a cornerstone of customer trust. Quantum readiness signals a proactive commitment to safeguarding sensitive information.
- Competitive advantage: Enterprises that lead in quantum readiness can differentiate themselves in the market, attract security-conscious customers, and influence industry standards.
- Strategic planning: Quantum risk assessments inform broader digital transformation strategies, helping organizations align IT investments with long-term resilience goals.
IT Impact: Infrastructure, Integration, and Innovation
Quantum readiness affects every layer of IT:
- Infrastructure overhaul: Legacy systems using RSA or ECC encryption must be identified and upgraded. This may involve rearchitecting applications, updating protocols, and ensuring compatibility with PQC algorithms.
- Vendor coordination: IT leaders must work closely with technology vendors to ensure their platforms support quantum-safe cryptography. This includes cloud providers, networking equipment, and software vendors.
- Performance testing: PQC algorithms can be more resource intensive. IT teams must evaluate the impact on latency, throughput, and scalability—especially for mission-critical systems.
- Security operations: Quantum readiness will reshape threat modelling, incident response, and compliance frameworks. Security teams must adapt to new cryptographic standards and evolving attack vectors.
The Role of Cybersecurity Professional Services Firms
Quantum computing will reshape the digital landscape. For G2000 enterprises (especially those in critical sectors), conducting quantum risk assessments is not just a technical necessity, but also a strategic investment in resilience, trust, and future competitiveness.
Organizations should:
- Partner with a right provider that knows the industry and have gone down the PQC path to evaluate exposure and plan mitigation.
- Map out where and how encryption is used across the enterprise.
- Test pilot PQC algorithms in controlled environments to evaluate performance and integration.
- Educate stakeholders: Build awareness across leadership, IT, and security teams.
The quantum clock is ticking. Is your organization ready? To find out more details, please refer to the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Security and Trust 2026 Predictions.
