The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), partnering with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has released new guidance on mitigating security risks to advance quantum computing technology.
The guidance is meant to be a “roadmap” for organizations to protect their data and systems, and to reduce risks related to quantum advancement, DHS said.
“Quantum computing will be a scientific breakthrough. It is also expected to pose new data privacy and cybersecurity risks,” said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a press release.
“Now is the time for organizations to assess and mitigate their related risk exposure,” he said. “As we continue responding to urgent cyber challenges, we must also stay ahead of the curve by focusing on strategic, long-term goals. This new roadmap will help protect our critical infrastructure and increase cybersecurity resilience across the country.”
More specifically, the guidance will help organizations prepare for transitioning to post-quantum cryptography by identifying, prioritizing, and protecting potentially vulnerable data, algorithms, protocols, and systems.
Back in August, Mayorkas outlined the value of partnerships in dealing with big-picture questions that the U.S. must face, including the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) undertaken by DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
“I have said before that the Department of Homeland Security … is fundamentally a department of partnerships,” said Mayorkas at the time. “[JCDC] is just one of many efforts underway designed to leverage our partners to keep our communities safe.”
