Quantum threats are no longer just theoretical — and they’re too big to tackle alone. That’s why four industry leaders — IBM Consulting, Keyfactor, Quantinuum, and Thales — have joined forces to create the new Quantum-Safe 360 Alliance.
The formation of this alliance marks a significant milestone in the global transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). By bringing together leading experts in cryptographic design, public key infrastructure (PKI), certificate lifecycle management, quantum-safe algorithms, and secure system deployment, the alliance offers a comprehensive approach to navigating the quantum threat.
In this article, you’ll discover three essential strategies to help you prepare, the core reasons behind the formation of the Quantum-Safe 360 Alliance, and some of the industry insights shared in the alliance’s inaugural whitepaper.
You’ll come away with three practical PQC strategies to stay ahead of emerging quantum threats and future-proof your security architecture.
Let’s get started.
Tip #1: Collaboration is the Cornerstone of Quantum Safety
No organization should tackle the post-quantum transition without aid. The scale and complexity of modern cryptographic environments spanning legacy systems, embedded devices, and third-party dependencies makes it nearly impossible to act successfully in isolation.
Instead, the alliance aims to unite stakeholders across industries, vendors, and standards bodies in a shared mission to operationalize crypto agility.
At its core, implementing crypto-agility seeks to upgrade your cryptographic infrastructure without disrupting operations. It is not a one-time migration (such as the long move from SHA-1 to SHA-2), but an ongoing capability requiring cross-functional alignment and inter-organizational cooperation. Flexibility isn’t a luxury, it’s a security mandate—industries that struggle to adapt will find themselves at dire risk of compromise.
All four members of the Quantum-Safe 360 Alliance have actively contributed to NIST’s post-quantum standardization process, developed open-source cryptographic libraries, and piloted hybrid certificate deployments. Each organization brings unique expertise, from inventory automation and key management to secure deployment pipelines.
Our strength lies in these strategic overlaps: each partner solves a critical piece of the puzzle, and together we create a comprehensive safety net that benefits everyone involved. This collective knowledge helps minimize fragmented efforts and directly supports your business’s journey toward crypto-agility.
Trusted partnerships are not optional in the post-quantum era; they are essential for building cryptographic resilience at enterprise scale.
Keyfactor co-founder and CTO, Ted Shorter, was recently interviewed about the whitepaper. Here’s a key excerpt from what he shared:
“There is no single solution that can ensure a successful PQC transition. The Quantum-Safe 360 Alliance is built on the principle that collaboration is essential to navigating this complex and critical transformation, reinforcing the idea that we are stronger together in securing the future of digital trust.”
Stronger together indeed. Whether identifying at-risk algorithms, testing quantum-resistant primitives, or managing upgrades across thousands of endpoints, success depends on shared tools, intelligence, and momentum.
The better connected your ecosystem, the faster and safer your quantum transition can be.
Tip #2: Look for Quantum-Ready Infrastructure
Most businesses already struggle to manage the millions of digital certificates and keys that secure their workloads, devices, and applications. These machine identities constantly expire, rotate, and proliferate across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Without visibility and control, the risks compound, especially when new quantum-safe algorithms enter the mix.
Keyfactor’s mission is to solve the real-world complexity of managing cryptographic systems at enterprise scale, and our expertise lies in agile machine identity management and PKI. Our goal is to help organizations upgrade their infrastructure today, so you don’t have to scramble for solutions when quantum threats arrive.
Our platforms are purpose-built for agile cryptographic management:
- Enterprise EJBCA: A modern, scalable PKI platform supporting the full lifecycle of quantum-ready and hybrid certificates, helping you adopt new cryptographic standards without disrupting existing operations.
- Keyfactor Command: A central certificate management platform for visibility and policy enforcement across all machine identities, no matter where they reside or how they are deployed.
Through integrations with Quantinuum and Thales, Keyfactor enables the use of high-assurance quantum-derived randomness in key generation. This adds a foundational level of entropy and unpredictability, which is critical to building cryptographic systems that will stand up to quantum-era adversaries and stay ahead of regulatory timelines.
Tip #3: Your Quantum-Safe Journey Will Evolve
Attackers are already harvesting encrypted data now, planning to decrypt it once quantum computers become powerful enough. That’s why crypto-agility — the ability to rapidly test and implement new cryptographic algorithms — is critical. It empowers you to adapt quickly and confidently. But building this agility across complex systems requires more than just one solution. Plus, it’s an evolving process.
A practical path forward consists of these actionable steps:
Discovery and Risk Assessment
- Identify cryptographic assets across your infrastructure, including hardcoded keys, certificates, and legacy algorithms.
- Prioritize data with long-term sensitivity, such as intellectual property, healthcare records, or financial transactions, that could be compromised by HNDL attacks.
- Evaluate entropy sources and randomness generation mechanisms for weaknesses that could undermine future key strength.
Incremental Implementation
- Deploy a PQC-ready PKI platform that can issue, manage, and revoke traditional and hybrid certificates during the transition period.
- Integrate certificate lifecycle management tools to reduce disruption and human error while introducing quantum-safe algorithms.
Testing and Validation
- Run pilots of quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions in sandboxed environments to measure real-world performance, interoperability, and impact on existing workflows. Keyfactor offers the resource-rich PQC Lab for this purpose.
- Validate compliance with emerging standards from NIST, ETSI, and industry-specific regulators. Engage internal security and compliance teams early to avoid misalignment later.
Continuous Crypto-Agility
- Develop governance frameworks and automation capabilities that support algorithm agility, allowing your organization to pivot as standards mature.
- Monitor vendor roadmaps, threat intelligence, and standardization updates to stay ahead of changes and reduce transition lag.
Start Here: Your Quantum-Safe Roadmap
Embracing crypto-agility allows you to reduce risk and modernize on your terms. With collaborative efforts like the Quantum-Safe 360 Alliance leading the way, you do not have to make that journey alone.
Download your copy of Digital Trust & Cybersecurity After Quantum Computing and get proven insights from IBM, Keyfactor, Thales, and Quantinuum.
