Imagine you’ve built your business around trust—your customers rely on you to keep their data safe, your operations depend on digital security, and your reputation rests on protecting sensitive information. Now imagine that, a few years from now, advances in quantum computing make it possible to unlock your encrypted data in seconds.
Quantum computing is like a supercharged calculator that doesn’t just perform calculations in a linear, step-by-step manner. Instead, it can examine multiple possibilities at once, dramatically speeding up the process of solving complex problems. While this is great for solving challenges like simulating molecules for drug discovery or improving machine learning, it also means it could break encryption algorithms that rely on the time it takes to solve difficult problems.
It’s not science fiction. It’s a real, fast-approaching risk that every forward-thinking company needs to address. This is the future post-quantum cryptography is preparing us for—and it’s going to affect not just IT teams, but the entire business.
How Will This Affect Businesses?
Quantum computing is a new type of computing that can solve complex problems much faster than today’s machines. That sounds like a good thing—and in many ways, it is. But there’s a downside: this power could be used to break the encryption methods that protect everything from credit card transactions to customer databases.
Even if large-scale quantum computers aren’t here yet, cyber attackers are already preparing. They can steal encrypted data today with the goal of decrypting it later—once advances in quantum technology catch up. That means sensitive information you store now could become exposed in the future.
For example, in the case of the 2017 Equifax breach, attackers used encryption weaknesses to steal millions of consumer records. If that data had been encrypted today, a quantum computer in the future could decrypt it in seconds—turning a breach today into a breach that persists indefinitely.
For companies that store large volumes of data—especially in cloud environments like AWS and Snowflake—this isn’t a distant threat. It’s a call to action.
How Will Advances in Quantum Computing Affect Customers?
At the heart of this issue is customer trust. People expect their personal data to remain private—not just today, but for years to come. Healthcare records, financial histories, legal documents, and proprietary business data often need to be protected long term.
When advances in quantum produce computers that can crack today’s encryption, customers will ask: Why wasn’t this prevented?
If businesses don’t plan ahead, they risk:
- Loss of trust when long-stored encrypted data is compromised.
- Regulatory penalties for failing to meet evolving data protection standards.
- Competitive disadvantage as others market their systems as “quantum-secure.”
Even if your data is securely stored in a top-tier cloud platform today, the underlying encryption could still become vulnerable tomorrow.
Business Leaders: It’s Time to Get Ahead
This isn’t just an IT issue—it’s a business issue.
- CFOs need to understand the cost of delaying a security transition that could lead to regulatory fines or breach-related losses.
- CMOs need to maintain brand trust by staying ahead of customer expectations on privacy.
- CIOs and CTOs must begin planning for encryption upgrades before standards change.
- Boards need to be briefed that quantum threats are real—and have long-term implications for data governance.
Smart companies aren’t waiting for quantum computers to arrive—they’re planning now to avoid disruption later because by the time large-scale quantum computers are ready for commercial use, it may already be too late to retrofit outdated systems.
Preparing for Quantum: The Role of Cloud Data Foundations
To take full advantage of quantum computing, financial institutions need strong cloud data foundations. Platforms like Snowflake enable firms to:
- Integrate and centralize data to prepare for quantum algorithms
- Scale resources for running quantum-inspired experiments
- Ensure data security and compliance with industry standards
With the help of IBM Quantum, financial firms can experiment with quantum hardware via the cloud, accelerating the path to adoption.
What Can You Do Today?
The good news is that you don’t need to rip and replace your systems overnight. But you do need a roadmap.
Here are a few first steps:
- Understand your risk: Where is sensitive data stored, and how long does it need to remain secure?
Talk to your cloud providers: Ask about their plans for post-quantum security.
Prepare your team: Educate your leaders and teams on what’s coming and what it means for your business. - Partner with experts: Work with a consulting team that understands both modern cloud infrastructure and evolving security standards.
Conclusion: Prepare Your Data, Protect Your Business
Advances in quantum computing are poised to change the rules of data security. Businesses that depend on customer trust—and that store sensitive data in modern cloud environments—need to start preparing now. The risk isn’t just technical; it’s reputational, regulatory, and strategic.
At Hakkoda, an IBM Company, we help organizations assess their exposure, build a plan, and optimize cloud environments for future-readiness—whether you’re working in AWS, Snowflake, or a multi-cloud ecosystem.
Let’s talk about how to protect your data, your customers, and your future—before the future forces your hand.
