Google Warns Quantum Computing Threats Are Imminent, Urges Global Encryption Overhaul

Google Sounds the Alarm on Quantum Threats

Google has issued a stark warning to governments and businesses worldwide: quantum computing threats to encryption are no longer theoretical, they are imminent. Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Alphabet and Google, published an urgent call to action this week, emphasising that adversaries are already collecting encrypted data today in anticipation of future quantum computers powerful enough to break current encryption.

The Harvest Now, Decrypt Later Threat

At the heart of Google's warning is a strategy known as "harvest now, decrypt later," where malicious actors are intercepting and storing encrypted financial records, trade secrets, and classified communications. The bet is simple: once a sufficiently powerful quantum computer becomes available, all that hoarded data can be unlocked. Walker stressed that a cryptographically relevant quantum computer is no longer perpetually a decade away, making the window for action dangerously narrow.

Google's Own Migration

Google is not merely sounding the alarm. The company has already migrated key exchanges for its internal traffic to ML-KEM, the primary post-quantum standard finalised by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in August 2024. All Google services and select Google Cloud-native services now use quantum-resistant key exchange by default, and Google is making its implementations available through open-source cryptographic libraries.

Policy Recommendations and Industry Readiness

Walker outlined five recommendations for policymakers, including driving momentum for critical infrastructure sectors like energy and healthcare, promoting cloud-first modernisation for rapid cryptographic updates, and ensuring AI systems incorporate post-quantum protections from the outset. Despite this, industry readiness remains a concern, with research indicating only nine percent of organisations have a post-quantum roadmap in place.

Government Response

The warning arrives as the White House drafts an executive order on quantum technology titled "Ushering In The Next Frontier Of Quantum Innovation." However, the draft notably omits post-quantum cryptography provisions, a gap Google's push is clearly designed to address. Government contracts are expected to mandate post-quantum cryptography compliance later this year.