ISARA Leads Discussion to Keep Government Data Safe from Looming Quantum Threat

Global leader in quantum-safe security to head panel

10th Annual Billington Cybersecurity Summit

WASHINGTON (September 3, 2019) – As governments increasingly recognize the coming threat that quantum computers pose to the encryption that protects everything from military secrets to tax records, ISARA Corp., the world’s leading provider of quantum-safe and crypto-agile security, will moderate a panel at this week’s 10th Annual Billington Cybersecurity Summit on how to start building a defensive barrier to keep sensitive data safe.

“It’s dawning on governments around the world that even with practical quantum computers several years away, the time to start building defenses against them is right now,” said Paul Lucier, ISARA’s vice president of sales and business development, who will moderate the panel “The Looming Quantum Threat to Encryption – Taking a Defensive Posture.” “Building a robust quantum-safe security infrastructure is a multi-year process and time may already be running short to protect some of the most sensitive data."

Quantum computers operate differently than classical digital computers, giving them vastly more processing power to solve difficult problems – including traditionally secure encryption algorithms. The U.S. government has recognized the urgency of this threat. In December 2018, the National Quantum Initiative Act allocated $1.2 billion to advancing quantum technologies. And in May 2019, the Department of Defense began seeking quantum-safe encryption solutions through the Defense Information Systems Agency.

“It’s important that the national defense communities understand that while we await global standards, they can and need to start preparing by building flexibility, or crypto-agility, into their systems,” Lucier said. “It is equally important that we begin those efforts now to prevent against quantum attacks without wholesale disruption to war-fighting capabilities. The pace of scientific and technological advancement will not allow us to wait much longer.’’

The Billington panel will present perspectives on the looming quantum threat from industry leaders and government officials who are working to protect national security now and in the future. In addition to Lucier, panelists include:

  • Brent Hansenfederal CTO for cloud protection and licensing activity at Thales, a leader in critical information systems, cybersecurity and data protection; and,
  • Ken McKinney, Col., USAF (Ret.), Vice President of Strategic Development at Hawkins Group LLC, a Washington-based digital security consultancy.

These thought leaders will discuss how quantum computing will affect security and why this threat poses a massive problem for the cybersecurity and defense and intelligence agencies. They will discuss potential solutions and offer actionable insights to begin preparing today.

Additionally, event attendees can meet with ISARA Corp. and Thales thought leaders in the Quantum Innovation Zone to ask their most pressing questions and get started on the path to quantum-safe security.

About ISARA Corporation
ISARA Corporation, the world’s leading provider of agile quantum-safe security solutions, leverages decades of real-world cybersecurity expertise to protect today’s computing ecosystems in the quantum age. With our partners, we’re clearing the path to quantum-safe security for enterprises and governments by delivering practical, standardized solutions for a seamless migration. Co-founded in 2015 by former BlackBerry security executives, our team has since launched several first-of-its-kind solutions such as a quantum-safe cryptographic library, integration tools for developers, and agile technologies. With an emphasis on interoperability, we proudly collaborate on international standards-setting efforts. For more information, visit www.isara.com or follow @ISARACorp on Twitter.