Understanding Harvest Now Decrypt Later and the Quantum Threat
Harvest now decrypt later (HNDL) is the proverbial “elephant in the room” — a silent encryption crisis many are ignoring when no one can afford to ignore. It’s not a future risk — it’s happening right now.
The concept of harvest now decrypt later (HNDL) refers to the ability of threat actors to intercept encrypted data today, store it, and decrypt it in the future when they have access to sufficient quantum computing power. This means that even data that is currently secure under classical encryption algorithms is at risk — it’s only a matter of time before quantum computers render today’s encryption obsolete.
Why Should Organizations Act Now?
The transition from classical to quantum encryption is not just a precautionary measure — it’s a necessity. Here’s why immediate action is critical:
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Data Interception is Easy Today
Classical systems make intercepting encrypted data relatively straightforward for sophisticated cybercriminals. They can collect massive amounts of data now and wait until quantum computing advances make decryption trivial. -
Quantum Decryption Will Render Current Encryption Methods Useless
While today’s encryption algorithms (e.g., RSA, ECC) provide robust security against classical attacks, they will become obsolete with the advent of quantum computing. Algorithms such as Shor’s algorithm can efficiently factor large prime numbers, breaking RSA encryption in seconds instead of thousands of years. -
Storage is Cheap, Making Data Theft Easier
The cost of storage is decreasing rapidly, allowing attackers to store vast amounts of stolen encrypted data at little expense. This means they can harvest information for years, waiting for quantum computing to evolve so that they can break current encryption algorithms with ease. -
The Race to Quantum Supremacy is Already Underway
Corporations, governments, and universities, including our adversaries, are aggressively developing quantum computers. The day when quantum machines can break classical encryption — often referred to as “Y2Q” (Year 2 Quantum) — is approaching, and experts warn that we may be closer than most realize. -
Threat Actors May Gain Early Access to Quantum Technology
Cybercriminals and nation-state actors won’t necessarily need to develop their own quantum computers. They could license quantum computing resources under the guise of legitimate research, granting them the ability to decrypt stolen data well before quantum computing becomes mainstream.
Y2Q: The Countdown to a Quantum Breakthrough
When will Y2Q happen? No one knows for certain. Estimates range from 2 to 10 years, but advancements in quantum computing are accelerating rapidly. Cybersecurity experts are urging businesses, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and government agencies to take immediate steps toward quantum security before it’s too late.
Agencies like NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and NSA (National Security Agency) have already begun implementing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standards to future-proof sensitive communications. Organizations that wait risk exposing their data to harvest now decrypt later (HNDL) attacks and catastrophic breaches in the future.
Darkstrike™ Provides Quantum-Secure Solutions Today
Learn how Darkstrike™ can provide quantum-secure encryption services today. Waiting for Y2Q is not an option and delaying quantum-secure encryption only increases exposure. To mitigate the risks posed by Y2Q and harvest now decrypt later (HNDL), companies should take the following steps:
1. Implement Quantum Encryption
The NIST PQC Standardization Project has identified quantum-resistant encryption algorithms such as Kyber, Dilithium, Falcon, and SPHINCS+, which are all computational data security models. Transitioning to these algorithms now ensures some quantum protection against computationally bounded adversaries. For quantum protection against computationally unbounded adversaries, One-Time-Pad (OTP) is recommended, which is an information-theoretic data security model.
For more information on computational security vs. information-theoretic security, click here.
2. Identify and Secure Sensitive Data
Organizations must audit their data, classify sensitive information, and determine what needs immediate quantum protection. Once sensitive data has been identified, the level of quantum security, quantum-resistant (computational data security) or quantum-secure (information-theoretic data security) needs to be applied.
3. Upgrade Network Security Infrastructure
Hardware security modules (HSMs) and virtual private networks (VPNs) should be updated to support quantum-safe cryptography.
4. Upgrade Security Protocols
Upgrade to TLS 1.3 to better support communications containing data that has been encrypted with computational and information-theoretic data security.
The Time to Act is Now
The race toward quantum supremacy is happening in real-time. Y2Q is inevitable. The only question is when — and whether organizations will be prepared when it arrives. The organizations that prepare today will be the ones that survive tomorrow.
Darkstrike™ provides state-of-the-art quantum-secure encryption solutions to safeguard critical information. By integrating quantum encryption today, organizations can eliminate the risk of harvest now decrypt later (HNDL) attacks and ensure long-term data security. Don’t wait for quantum computers to make today’s encryption obsolete — secure your data now with Darkstrike™ and stay ahead of the quantum revolution.
