IoT Insider webinar: is your business protected against the quantum threat?

[AmandaK]

In the fast-moving world of IoT, we often talk about “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later.” It’s a chilling concept: an attacker steals encrypted data today, waits for a quantum computer to arrive, and then unlocks a decade’s worth of secrets.

But in a recent live webinar hosted by IoT Insider, our CSO Ben Packman joined industry leaders from NVIDIA and HPE to issue a much more urgent warning. The real quantum threat isn’t just about reading your data—it’s about controlling your infrastructure.

The Firmware Vulnerability​

As Scott Shaffer (VP & Chief Technologist at HPE) pointed out during the session, if an attacker compromises a device’s firmware, they don’t need to decrypt anything. They are already “on” the device.

For businesses in pharmaceuticals, energy, and national infrastructure, this is the nightmare scenario. If the base layer of a device—its root of trust—is compromised, every layer above it (the OS, the applications, the data) is effectively forfeit.

The “Race Against Time”​

Ben Packman emphasized that while we are currently “ahead of the threat,” the window for action is closing.

“The time to act is today,” Ben noted during the discussion. “You need to build crypto-agility into your platforms now to ensure that in 2030 or 2035, you aren’t forced into a catastrophic hardware recall or a total infrastructure replacement.”

This is particularly critical for IoT devices. Unlike a laptop that you might replace every three years, industrial sensors, smart meters, and automotive components often have lifecycles of 10 to 15 years. A device deployed today without PQC (Post-Quantum Cryptography) will still be in the field when quantum computers are capable of breaking its encryption.

Three Practical Steps for Businesses​

The panel, including Thorsten Stremlau from NVIDIA, outlined a clear roadmap for businesses to start their transition:

1. - Assess the Inventory: Identify which devices are critical and what encryption they currently use. You can’t protect what you don’t track.
2. - Engage the Supply Chain: Security is a partnership. Don’t work in a vacuum; talk to your manufacturers and integrators about their PQC roadmaps.
3. - Prioritize Implementation: As Ben pointed out, “Algorithms are fine. Implementation is where holes appear.” This is why PQShield focuses on creating “implementation-ready” libraries that are hardened against side-channel attacks and physical tampering.

Building In, Not Bolting On​

The takeaway for MWC and Embedded World attendees is clear: Quantum security shouldn’t be a massive, separate expense. By integrating PQC into your ongoing hardware refreshes and software updates today, you build a resilient foundation for the next two decades.

As Ben concluded: “This isn’t about panic—it’s about being proactive.”

Read the article in IoT Insider.

Link to Press Release