UK Cybersecurity Agency Warns of Quantum Computing Threats

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a clear warning to organisations across the country: preparation for the impact of quantum computing needs to start now. While quantum technology is still developing, experts believe it could make many of today’s encryption methods ineffective within the next decade.

Quantum computers work very differently from traditional computers. Instead of processing information in a linear way, they are able to analyse huge volumes of data and solve complex calculations at extraordinary speeds. This has the potential to drive major breakthroughs in areas such as medical research, financial modelling, and scientific discovery. However, the same power also presents a serious challenge for cybersecurity.

Many of the encryption standards currently used to protect sensitive data, secure communications, and verify digital identities rely on mathematical problems that are extremely difficult for classical computers to solve. Quantum computers, once sufficiently advanced, are expected to be able to break these protections far more easily. This could expose confidential information, intellectual property, and critical systems to new types of cyber attack.

In response, the NCSC is urging organisations to begin reviewing their existing infrastructure and long-term security strategies. Industries such as energy, healthcare, transport, and finance are being encouraged to identify where encryption is used and assess how vulnerable it may be in a future quantum environment. The agency has recommended the adoption of so-called “quantum-safe” or quantum-resistant encryption, which is designed to withstand attacks from both classical and quantum computers.

The NCSC has set 2035 as a target year for widespread transition to quantum-resistant technologies. While that may seem distant, updating cryptographic systems can be complex and time-consuming, particularly for organisations with legacy infrastructure or large, interconnected networks.

This guidance forms part of the UK’s wider Cyber Strategy 2022–2030, which focuses on strengthening national resilience against emerging and future threats. As quantum computing becomes more accessible, the likelihood of highly sophisticated cyber attacks will increase, making early planning essential rather than optional.

For organisations, the message is clear: quantum computing may not be an immediate threat, but those who fail to plan ahead risk being caught unprepared when today’s security standards are no longer enough.