Quantum computers will break today’s public-key encryption, making WAN traffic especially vulnerable to harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) attacks. The new Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers enable early quantum-safe protection with post-quantum pre-shared keys (PPKs) and built-in post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to secure data in transit and future-proof WAN security.

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Quantum computers pose an immediate threat to current encryption methods, particularly through harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) attacks where encrypted data is captured today and decrypted once quantum computers become powerful enough. WANs are especially vulnerable as they carry sensitive data across long distances with extended confidentiality requirements. Organizations should adopt post-quantum cryptography (PQC) solutions now, using either post-quantum pre-shared keys (PPKs) for immediate protection or NIST-approved PQC algorithms like ML-KEM and ML-DSA. A comprehensive post-quantum security strategy must address encryption, authentication, and secure boot. The WAN-first approach makes sense due to regulatory compliance needs, the centralized nature of WANs enabling easier hybrid encryption rollout, and the vulnerability of classical public-key methods to quantum algorithms.

Safeguard Your WAN from Quantum Computing Threats

The quantum threat landscape and its impact on WAN security

Your WAN needs quantum-safe protection first

Building a comprehensive post-quantum security (PQS) strategy

Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers: Your quantum-safe WAN solution

Discover how to secure your WAN for the quantum era