A new secretariat has been established under the Danish Cybersecurity Center (Center for Cybersikkerhed) to assist Danish authorities and businesses in protecting data from future quantum computers. This initiative, initiated by the Ministry of Defence (Forsvarsministeriet), aims to facilitate the transition to quantum-safe cryptography, which is deemed necessary to ensure that stolen data today cannot be decrypted in the future when powerful quantum computers become available.
Cryptography is used to protect data by making it unreadable to unauthorized individuals, and the Cybersecurity Center emphasizes the importance of transitioning to quantum-safe cryptography at this stage. This shift is expected to ensure long-term protection and avert future panic. The Cybersecurity Center operates under the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste), which is tasked with countering threats to Denmark’s security.
The new secretariat will advise segments of Denmark’s critical infrastructure that rely on secure IT systems. A recent feature article from the Cybersecurity Center highlighted that many current IT systems are built on vulnerable cryptosystems that could potentially be compromised by future quantum computers. These computers can solve algorithms and tasks that are impossible for traditional computers, and may be capable of forging digital signatures and identities, posing a threat to the trust in digital systems.
Mark Fiedel, Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity Center, described in an interview with Jyllands-Posten the potential of quantum technology as a significant breakthrough. He pointed out that while breakthroughs in quantum technology may not become public knowledge immediately, it is crucial to begin the shift to quantum encryption now. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States has already released three standards for quantum encryption, allowing for an immediate start to the transition.
Quantum technology is a broad term referring to a group of new technologies that utilize quantum mechanical principles to solve complex problems that conventional computers cannot handle. According to the IT Industry Association (It-Branchen), quantum computers are still in their early stages of development, yet they represent enormous business potential. A significant advantage of quantum computers is their ability to evaluate multiple possible solutions simultaneously, in contrast to traditional computers, which test one solution at a time.
Thus, the new secretariat and the initiatives of the Cybersecurity Center are designed to safeguard Denmark’s critical infrastructure against the threats and opportunities that quantum technology presents.