The Cybersecurity in the Quantum Era: Threats, Opportunities, and Possible Strategies

Free Content Report Cybersecurity & Data Protection European Digital Tech Watch Quantum Computing & Communication September 2026 56 pages pdf

What you will learn

This report explores the security implications of Quantum Computing and Communication. It details the quantum threat to cryptography, standardisation timelines (NIST, EU), and defense technologies like Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). It also analyzes market supply dynamics and offers an operational transition roadmap for enterprise adoption centered on crypto-agility, risk assessment, and sectoral adoption paths.

Table of Contents

1
Quantum Technologies: development and strategic implications
2
Quantum technologies and cybersecurity
3
Toward Quantum-Safe Infrastructures: Strategies and Governance
4
Quantum-safe ecosystem: supply, value chain, and market dynamics
5
Quantum-safe: how organizations are taking action

Index of Graphs

1
What we mean by Quantum Technologies and the main application areas
2
Quantum threat to public and private key cryptography
3
Timeline for the quantum threat
4
The NIST standardization process for post-quantum cryptography

You will know how to answer these key questions

When and how will the quantum threat make the cryptography in use today vulnerable?
Which technologies enable the protection of communications and are oriented towards security in the quantum era?
What is the impact of Quantum on risk management in Italian companies?
How is the quantum-safe ecosystem configured today, between international standards and supply chain development?
What concrete path can companies and institutions follow today, especially in terms of crypto agility and first use cases?

The methodology used in this Report

The European Digital Tech Watch Observatory, in synergy with the Quantum Computing & Communication and Cybersecurity & Data Protection Observatories, drafted this report using a multi-methodological research approach. The study combines a secondary research phase—analyzing scientific literature, institutional directives (EU, NIST), and mapping global supply landscape and enterprise use cases—with primary empirical research. The latter includes in-depth interviews with industry stakeholders and quantitative surveys covering over 120 large Italian enterprises and 140 CISOs to evaluate organizational readiness, market dynamics, and operational transition trajectories toward quantum-safe security.

Authors