The quantum threat isn't hypothetical, it's operational. Adversaries are already harvesting encrypted defense traffic today, banking on decrypting it once a cryptographically relevant quantum computer exists. For the U.S. government's forward-deployed edge, whether for military, national security, homeland security and other mission-critical agencies, that traffic includes command and control, intelligence, and mission data that is intended to stay secure for decades.
The Department of War, NIST, OMB, CISA and other regulatory agencies have laid out strategies, mandates and directives to support quantum-resistant algorithms and PQC compliance, and while the direction is clear; execution is not. Most operational cryptography has never been fully inventoried, and the tactical edge, constrained devices, legacy links, denied and degraded environments, is where migration is most likely to stall.
Swapping algorithms won't close this gap. It takes crypto-agility built into the infrastructure, a migration sequence that survives contested conditions, and hard calls on the systems that must be addressed today.
Join GIST360’s latest breakfast briefing installment which will convene senior Defense, Military, National Security and other senior government IT and cyber leaders for a candid working session on the strategies, tradeoffs, and hard decisions ahead.
Key Takeaways:
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Where DoW, CNSA 2.0, NIST, OMB and other deadlines force near-term action
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How harvest now, decrypt later reshapes edge risk
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Approaches to crypto-agile migration under DDIL and other challenging conditions
- Practical first moves toward 2027 readiness
Whether you’re starting your day before AUSA or are focused on securing the nation’s future-ready force, this event is for you!
