Techsplainers by IBM

This episode of Techsplainers explores the core phases of a post-quantum cryptography transition and why organizations should approach it as a long-term transformation program rather than a one-time technical upgrade. As post-quantum cryptography standards become available and the risk of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks grows, CIOs and security leaders can structure a realistic path toward quantum-safe readiness.

The episode introduces a three-phase transition model:
1. Preparing teams through awareness and risk assessment
2. Preparing the organization with governance, roadmaps and cryptographic observability
3. Running the migration through prioritized execution, testing and crypto-agile design.
Listeners will also hear about practical challenges in migrating core infrastructure and legacy technologies. Overall, the episode provides a grounded framework for managing one of the most important cybersecurity transitions of the coming decade.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/insights/cios-must-prepare-their-organizations-today-for-quantum-safe-cryp...

Find all the Techsplainers episodes here: https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast
Narrated by Teaganne Finn

This episode of Techsplainers explores why the transition to post-quantum cryptography matters right now. As quantum computing advances and governments move from long-term strategy to concrete deadlines, the discussion explains why this moment represents a turning point for organizations responsible for protecting sensitive data, critical systems, and long-lived digital assets.

The episode examines the convergence of five forces shaping the present moment: advancing quantum capability, “harvest now, decrypt later” risk, the availability of post-quantum cryptography standards, new government directives, and the long timelines required for cryptographic migration across large IT environments. It also explains how recent executive orders in the United States signal a shift from awareness to structured execution, especially for federal agencies, contractors, and organizations connected to regulated ecosystems.
Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/perspectives/americas-quantum-moment-two-new-executive-orders-signal-new-e...

Find all the Techsplainers episodes here: https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast

Narrated by Teaganne Finn

This episode of Techsplainers explores crypto-agility and why it has become a critical part of quantum-safe readiness. As organizations prepare for the transition to post-quantum cryptography, the challenge is not only selecting stronger algorithms, but also making cryptographic systems easier to find, manage, and update across complex IT environments.

The episode explains crypto-agility as the ability of systems and organizations to rapidly adapt cryptographic mechanisms in response to new threats, evolving standards, and newly discovered vulnerabilities. It walks through the three core pillars that make this possible: architecture, automation, and governance.
The discussion also covers the importance of cryptographic discovery, third-party dependencies, implementation risks, and emerging tools such as the Cryptography Bill of Materials. Overall, the episode shows how crypto-agility supports a step-by-step migration to quantum-safe cryptography while helping organizations build a more flexible and resilient long-term security posture.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/quantum/blog/crypto-agility.

Find all the Techsplainers episodes here: https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast
Narrated by Teaganne Finn

This episode of Techsplainers explores quantum-safe cryptography, the security approach designed to protect sensitive data, digital access, and communications in the era of quantum computing. The episode explains why modern cryptography has remained so effective for decades, and why future quantum systems could eventually threaten widely used public-key methods such as RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and elliptic curve cryptography.

Listeners are guided through the basics of encryption and authentication, the difference between public-key and symmetric cryptography, and how quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s change the long-term security picture. The discussion also clarifies an important distinction: quantum-safe cryptography is not the same as quantum cryptography.

The episode also covers why this issue matters now, including long migration timelines, “harvest now, decrypt later” risks, the role of NIST standards, and the importance of crypto-agility.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/quantum-safe-cryptography

Find all the Techsplainers episodes here: https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast

Narrated by Teaganne Finn

This episode of Techsplainers explores Q-Day, the point at which quantum computers become capable of breaking the public-key cryptography that protects digital systems today. Rather than treating Q-Day as a single dramatic moment, this episode explains why many experts now view it as a gradual process that will unfold unevenly over time as different cryptographic systems become vulnerable at different rates.

The episode walks through the traditional definition of Q-Day, why improvements in quantum hardware and algorithms are shrinking the time horizon, and how “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks are already putting long-lived sensitive data at risk. It also examines why organizations should care now. Not because every system will fail at once, but because cryptographic migration across applications, infrastructure, data flows, and third-party dependencies can take years.

Find more information at https://www.ibm.com/think/perspectives/quantum-computers-are-speeding-towards-cryptographic-relevanc...
Find all the Techsplainers episodes here: https://www.ibm.biz/techsplainers-podcast

Narrated by Teaganne Finn