G7 cybersecurity group urges post‑quantum migration

Governments and businesses are being encouraged to work together on quantum-safe technologies, national strategies and cybersecurity requirements.

The G7 Cyber Security Working Group and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have urged governments and organisations to begin preparing for the risks posed by quantum computing. Their new call to action warns that advances in quantum technology could eventually undermine widely used public-key encryption and put sensitive information and digital infrastructure at risk.

The guidance stresses that organisations should not wait until powerful quantum computers become available. Attackers can already collect encrypted information with the intention of decrypting it in the future, while sufficiently powerful quantum computers could also threaten authentication systems, potentially allowing trusted identities to be impersonated and creating wider supply-chain risks.

The G7 identifies five priorities for the transition to post-quantum cryptography: increasing awareness, developing national strategies, supporting research and development, strengthening public-private cooperation, and incorporating quantum-safe measures into cybersecurity requirements and procurement. Organisations are also encouraged to catalogue their cryptographic assets, map dependencies and adopt phased, risk-based migration plans.