“Don’t open it now,” said BlackNode in a quiet, almost amused tone. The screen displayed a row of folders labelled with the names of global corporations, strategic contracts, corporate roadmaps, and client databases. All encrypted. “Let it sit,” he added. “Time will do the work for us.” In the encrypted group chat, small emojis appeared, digital winks, and one line that sent a chill down the spine: “HNDL – Harvest Now, Decrypt Later.”
Someone uploaded a new file – a list of bank account numbers belonging to European customers. Another dropped a trove of internal emails from a pharmaceutical company. Everything was ready, everything was waiting. They weren’t rushing to sell, weren’t burning their cards. They knew that today, the locks were still strong – but one day, perhaps not far away, quantum computing would turn that encryption into dust.
The Calm Before the Storm
They didn’t look like the characters from movies. No dark hoodies, no flickering green code on the screen. Just ordinary-looking people – with dry humor, deep technical skills, and the ability to make any system feel like it had left its back door ajar. They moved quietly, almost casually, like patient collectors waiting for the perfect moment to pull treasure out of the vault.
In recent months, a method has emerged that’s rattling the global cybersecurity community: “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” – steal today, decrypt tomorrow. Hackers know that today’s encryption is strong, but they also know that one day, maybe sooner than most expect, quantum computing will cut through those locks like thread.
What Makes Quantum Computers So Different?
To understand the threat, you have to understand the leap. Classical computers – the ones in your phone, laptop, or server – use bits that are either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use qubits, which can be 0, 1, or both at the same time through superposition. The result? The ability to perform massive numbers of calculations simultaneously, at speeds that are hard to comprehend.
The algorithms used for encryption today, like RSA and ECC, are considered secure because a traditional computer would take billions of years to crack them. A quantum computer, running an algorithm like Shor’s, could do it in minutes or seconds.
Real-World Fallout – How It Could Play Out
This isn’t just a theoretical concern. Look just a few steps ahead, and the implications are chilling:
- A public company – preparing for an IPO. Strategic documents stolen five years earlier are suddenly decrypted and leaked at the most sensitive moment. Stock value plunges, lawsuits follow, and investor trust evaporates.
- A hospital holding decades of patient records. Data stolen today is decrypted in the future and used for insurance fraud, personal blackmail, or illicit research.
- A defence contractor – classified innovations are revealed during critical international negotiations or amid a political crisis.
All these scenarios begin with a quiet breach – and end with devastating impact at the worst possible time.
A Double Threat – Legal and Business
In an era where privacy protection is law (GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California, and more), such a breach could bring not only reputational damage but also multi-million-dollar fines, market bans, and criminal charges. The problem is that legislation moves more slowly than technology, and if hackers release “old” stolen data years later, it will be nearly impossible to prove exactly when and how it was taken.
The way to confront this threat isn’t to wait for quantum computing to arrive – it’s to start building defenses right now. Three principles drive this approach:
- Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) New algorithms designed to withstand the computing power of quantum machines are currently under evaluation by NIST. Implementing them now ensures that even if data is stolen, it remains secure in the quantum future.
- End-to-End Protection: Sensitive data must be protected not only in storage, but also in transit (through secure communications) and in use (via controlled access).
- Intelligent Key and Certificate Management. Encryption keys are the most sensitive point of failure. If a key leaks, even the strongest encryption becomes useless. That’s why secure, automated, and periodic key lifecycle management is critical.
The ComsignTrust Technology Built for the Post-Quantum World
This is where ComSignTrust, a company with over two decades of expertise in digital trust, secure signatures, and identity management, comes into play.
The company offers a suite of solutions designed to protect organizations’ sensitive data, not only today, but also tomorrow:
- Comsign Digital Trust Platform – a secure platform for managing and verifying digital signatures, certificates, and credentials, with built-in readiness for post-quantum cryptography upgrades.
- CCMS – Comsign Credentials Management System – manages the lifecycle of all certificates and keys across the organization, ensuring timely renewals, immediate revocations, and no forgotten access points.
- Cloud-Based Digital Signatures – enabling secure work from anywhere, compliant with strict international standards, while maintaining user convenience for employees, partners, and vendors.
What sets ComSignTrust apart is not just its immediate protection, but its future-proof design, built for a world where classical encryption will no longer be enough.
The Race Has Already Begun
Quantum computing may not be fully here yet, but recent breakthroughs suggest it’s arriving faster than expected. Tech giants, governments, and universities have poured billions into its development, and each milestone brings the day of reckoning closer.
Hackers know this. One of them, in a closed conversation, admitted to holding European banking data for more than two years. “We don’t burn our cards before we have to,” he said. That line sums up the problem – the data may already be in the wrong hands, and we won’t know until it’s too late.
Not Just a Big-Corporation Problem
It’s tempting to think only banks, defense firms, or global corporations need to worry. However, in reality, small and medium-sized businesses also hold sensitive data: customer lists, payment records, supplier contracts, and patents in development. Hackers don’t always aim straight for the “big prize” – sometimes the way there is through smaller, less-defended links in the supply chain.
The Bottom Line – The Time to Prepare is Now
The quantum threat may sound futuristic, but in cybersecurity terms, it’s just around the corner. Hackers are already executing their strategy. The question is whether organizations are ready for it.
For decision-makers, the advice is simple:
- Start evaluating a shift to post-quantum cryptography today.
- Manage the full lifecycle of keys and certificates intelligently.
- Secure data end-to-end – not just in theory, but in practice.
Because when the hourglass runs out, there will be no way to reclaim the data that has already leaked.
Final word: Quantum computing won’t just change technology – it will change the rules of the cybersecurity game. Hackers aren’t waiting. Those who do risk today’s data – and tomorrow’s peace of mind.
Reach out to our >> Expert team to prepare your organization for the Quantum computing era
