61 security within the decade but also because of the ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ (HNDL) threat that exists today. HNDL attacks are all about data. Bad actors harvest long-life data today (defined as sensitive data that needs to remain confidential for over 10 years), with the intent of decrypting it once a quantum computer is capable of doing so. Firms will need to introduce post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to the previously discussed steps to be quantum safe. This can be achieved by either transitioning traditional public key cryptography to pure PQC or by adding PQC alongside it, which is known as a hybrid mode of work. And it doesn’t end there. The threat landscape is continually growing and evolving, with cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated. A perfect example is artificial intelligence. While the technology has been around for decades, this new generation of AI has taken a big step forward and rung several alarm bells. AI has become increasingly good at fooling humans via phishing, smishing and deep fakes, making the case for prioritising security even more important. However, AI also offers benefits for cybersecurity by enabling improved threat detection and comprehensive monitoring of IT systems for misconfigurations or deviations from best practices. Whether exploring the possibilities of AI or moving data to the cloud, businesses need to ensure they have the right procedures and technology in place. At the end of the day, regardless of industry or business priorities, all organisations share the critical need to keep their data secure. From there, the key takeaways are clear: know what kind of data is stored and transmitted, understand the data flows, identify who has access and how it is used, and understand what kind of cryptography is currently in place to ensure it stays secure – both today and in the future. Samantha Mabey is digital solutions marketing director at Entrust Photo: iStock/Galeanu Mihai
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