Safeguard Your WAN from Quantum Computing Threats

[ad_1] Quantum computing is a present-day actuality that’s altering cybersecurity in basic methods. The encryption defending our most delicate knowledge right this moment received’t stand an opportunity towards highly effective quantum assaults. This implies organizations ought to start adopting post-quantum cryptography (PQC) options now to safe their knowledge in transit. And since wide-area networks (WANs) carry a lot mission-critical knowledge, they're floor zero. This weblog takes a have a look at key concerns for establishing quantum-safe safety in WAN infrastructure.

The quantum menace panorama and its impression on WAN safety Our present safety depends on classical encryption, particularly public-key strategies. However these are weak to quantum assaults. Think about a robust cryptographically related quantum pc (CRQC) designed to interrupt right this moment’s encryption.

This results in a frightening state of affairs known as harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL).

Right here’s the way it works: An attacker secretly copies your encrypted knowledge and the general public key data because it travels throughout your community. When a CRQC turns into accessible, it’s used to derive the non-public key. With each the general public and quantum-calculated non-public key, the session key can then be unlocked, and all that delicate, beforehand captured knowledge could be decrypted. This implies any knowledge you ship right this moment could possibly be uncovered tomorrow.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden wp-image-484049 size-large" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/PQC_blog_figure-1-1024x348.png" alt="Attacker captures the key exchange phase and uses quantum-calculated private key to get session key. Process flow illustrating how an attacker can use a quantum-calculated private key to compromise public key cryptography during the key exchange phase, thereby obtaining the session key and decrypting previously encrypted data. The diagram concludes that public key cryptography is quantum-vulnerable" width="1024" height="348"/><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-484049 size-large" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/PQC_blog_figure-1-1024x348.png" alt="Attacker captures the key exchange phase and uses quantum-calculated private key to get session key. Process flow illustrating how an attacker can use a quantum-calculated private key to compromise public key cryptography during the key exchange phase, thereby obtaining the session key and decrypting previously encrypted data. The diagram concludes that public key cryptography is quantum-vulnerable" width="1024" height="348"/> Determine 1. With HNDL assaults, adversaries seize encrypted WAN site visitors and key change knowledge right this moment to decrypt it sooner or later with CRQCs Your WAN wants quantum-safe safety first Your WAN is the spine that connects knowledge facilities, department workplaces, and cloud environments. It carries your most delicate data, usually knowledge that should keep confidential for years. Securing this site visitors towards quantum threats is vital for stopping future breaches and staying compliant.

Right here’s why a WAN-first method to PQC is smart:

WAN site visitors usually has a protracted shelf life for confidentiality. Its journey throughout varied transports between distant websites and knowledge facilities makes it a great goal for HNDL assaults. Immediately’s classical encryption strategies, particularly these counting on the problem of factoring giant numbers, are straight threatened by quantum algorithms like Shor’s. International regulatory our bodies are already issuing pointers for defending towards quantum-enabled assaults. Starting together with your WAN helps you get forward of compliance necessities and cut back threat sooner. Your WAN edge routers are nicely positioned to implement new quantum-safe encryption. Choosing the proper infrastructure ensures PQC expertise offers complete protection. Fashionable options like SD-WAN, digital non-public community (VPN), and safe entry service edge (SASE) are constructed on sturdy cryptography. PQC is a pure evolution of this foundational safety. The centralized nature of WANs makes them well-suited for rolling out hybrid encryption by mixing previous and new cryptographic strategies. This agility will simplify your migration to a completely quantum-safe future.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden size-large wp-image-484171" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/mkEG9ykq-PQC_blog_figure-2-1024x461.png" alt="An atomic symbol with a padlock, illustrating the need for quantum-safe cryptography. Accompanying text is: Harvest now, decrypt later attacks are already happening; Classical cryptography will be broken by quantum computers; Regulatory and standards (NIST, NSA, ETSI, CISA); Infrastructure must become quantum-safe due to its long lifecycle; SD-WAN, VPN and SASE architecture depend on strong crypto; Crypto-agility is a strategic advantage -> future proof. " width="1024" height="461"/><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-484171" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/mkEG9ykq-PQC_blog_figure-2-1024x461.png" alt="An atomic symbol with a padlock, illustrating the need for quantum-safe cryptography. Accompanying text is: Harvest now, decrypt later attacks are already happening; Classical cryptography will be broken by quantum computers; Regulatory and standards (NIST, NSA, ETSI, CISA); Infrastructure must become quantum-safe due to its long lifecycle; SD-WAN, VPN and SASE architecture depend on strong crypto; Crypto-agility is a strategic advantage -> future proof. " width="1024" height="461"/> Determine 2. WANs carry delicate, long-lived knowledge and are foundational to safe architectures—making them a precedence for quantum-safe safety as threats and requirements evolve Constructing a complete post-quantum safety (PQS) technique Submit-quantum safety (PQS) is about upgrading cryptographic algorithms, protocols, and full techniques to resist quantum assaults.

A very efficient PQS answer have to be complete, specializing in three key areas:

Encryption: Protects your knowledge in transit from HNDL assaults. Authentication: Ensures solely authentic customers and units can entry your community. Safe boot: Helps make sure the integrity and authenticity of your system’s startup course of.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden wp-image-484051 size-large" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/PQC_blog_figure-3-1024x338.png" alt="Diagram illustrating Post-quantum security, which branches into three areas: Quantum-safe encryption (for secure communication, addressing 'harvest now, decrypt later' threats), Quantum-safe authentication (for verifying device and user authenticity), and Quantum-safe secure-boot (for ensuring software and hardware integrity). The latter two address attacks possible when quantum computing becomes available." width="1024" height="338"/><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-484051 size-large" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/PQC_blog_figure-3-1024x338.png" alt="Diagram illustrating Post-quantum security, which branches into three areas: Quantum-safe encryption (for secure communication, addressing 'harvest now, decrypt later' threats), Quantum-safe authentication (for verifying device and user authenticity), and Quantum-safe secure-boot (for ensuring software and hardware integrity). The latter two address attacks possible when quantum computing becomes available." width="1024" height="338"/> Determine 3. Complete PQS addresses three vital dimensions: knowledge encryption, authentication, and safe boot integrity Whereas the precise timeline for a CRQC is unsure, being proactive is essential. An entire PQS technique ought to deal with all these dimensions, defending your knowledge and infrastructure from each angle.

Shield your WAN from quantum assaults There are two major approaches to creating your WAN quantum-resistant:

Submit-quantum pre-shared key (PPK): This methodology provides speedy safety towards HNDL assaults. A PPK is a particular key that’s combined together with your classical IPsec session key. Since an attacker can not seize this PPK, even a CRQC can’t determine the true session key. You may arrange PPKs manually or use a quantum key distribution (QKD) system to acquire them. This protects your vital knowledge proper now.

Submit-quantum cryptography ( PQC) algorithms: This methodology includes adopting new, quantum-safe algorithms. Requirements our bodies just like the Nationwide Institute of Requirements and Know-how (NIST) are quickly approving these. For instance:

ML-KEM (FIPS-203): For quantum-safe key change (encryption) ML-DSA (FIPS-204): For quantum-safe digital signatures (authentication) LMS (NIST SP 800-208): For making certain the quantum-safe integrity of firmware and software program at a system stage (safe boot)

Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers: Your quantum-safe WAN answer The Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers are particularly designed for the quantum period, offering sturdy, quantum-safe WAN connectivity throughout department workplaces, campuses, and knowledge facilities.

These routers are constructed with highly effective crypto engines. They will deal with demanding PQC algorithms with out slowing down your community. Excessive-end fashions characteristic the Quantum-Circulation Processor (QFP) ASIC whereas department and campus routers use a brand new safe networking processor ASIC. Each are optimized for high-throughput crypto offload.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden wp-image-484052 size-large" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2026/01/PQC_blog_figure-4-1024x338.png" alt="Cisco 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 8500 Series Secure Routers, categorized for small branch, medium branch, large branch, campus, and data center deployments, respectively. " width="1024" height="338"/> Determine 4. Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers characteristic devoted cryptographic engines designed to deal with PQC workloads with out compromising efficiency” beneath the fourth determine. For speedy quantum-safe encryption utilizing the PPK methodology, Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers help Safe Key Integration Protocol (SKIP) and RFC 8784, which permit the blending of a pre-shared key into the IKEv2 key change. The PPK could possibly be discovered from QKD techniques, or if QKD isn’t accessible, PPKs could be configured regionally within the machine configuration. This answer allows quantum-safe encryption for IKEv2 IPsec connectivity.

With native PQC options, Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers will help hybrid encryption. This implies you'll be able to mix an current legacy encryption secret with a brand new, NIST-approved quantum-safe methodology’s shared secret throughout the identical crypto knowledge airplane. Based mostly on RFC 9370, this hybrid method cryptographically blends a number of shared secrets and techniques to create a stronger session key. The hybrid implementation allows easy migration and lets you implement ML-KEM algorithms as wanted. All public key cryptography options, together with IKEv2 IPsec, SD-WAN, FlexVPN, DMVPN, IKEv2 Cluster Load-balancing, MACsec with EAP-TLS, SSH, and extra, will supply native PQC encryption capabilities on the Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers.

The Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers are foundational for constructing a quantum-safe encryption answer to your community.

Act now for a quantum-safe future Quantum computing is not a distant menace; it’s right here, demanding speedy motion to guard our digital world. Organizations have to proactively improve their community infrastructure, particularly their WANs, to defend towards quantum assaults.

The transfer to PQC is an pressing step to protect towards threats like HNDL. By prioritizing quantum-safe options to your WAN, you'll be able to guarantee long-term knowledge confidentiality, meet regulatory calls for, and keep operational integrity.

Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers are purpose-built for this problem. They provide each speedy safety with PPK and a transparent path to native PQC strategies, securing your knowledge in transit and important infrastructure.

Investing in quantum-capable safety right this moment with options like Cisco 8000 Collection Safe Routers is the way you construct resilient, future-proof networks. The time to begin your journey towards quantum-safe networking is now.