Quantum
PQC Discovery & Migration Roadmap
The NCSC expects organisations to complete cryptographic discovery and have an initial migration plan by 2028. We find where your cryptography actually lives, rank what is exposed to harvest-now-decrypt-later risk and build a roadmap your board can fund.
The challenge
The quantum deadline is years away. The discovery deadline is not.
A sufficiently capable quantum computer would break the public-key cryptography that protects almost everything you run: TLS, VPNs, code signing, PKI, payment systems and the data archives you are obliged to keep confidential for years.
No one can tell you exactly when that happens. What is known is that adversaries can harvest encrypted data now and decrypt it later, and that finding every cryptographic dependency in a large, federated estate takes far longer than most budgets assume.
That is why the NCSC has set a clear sequence: discovery and an initial plan by 2028, priority migrations by 2031 and complete migration by 2035. We help you hit the first milestone properly, so the next two are achievable.
What you get
Outcomes, not reports.
- 01
Know where your cryptography is
A cryptographic inventory across applications, infrastructure, PKI, HSMs, libraries, protocols and suppliers — the foundation every later step depends on.
- 02
Know what matters first
Assets ranked by data longevity, exposure and migration difficulty, so effort goes where harvest-now-decrypt-later risk is highest.
- 03
A plan the board will fund
A phased roadmap aligned to the NCSC’s 2028, 2031 and 2035 milestones, with costs, dependencies and ownership.
- 04
Crypto-agility built in
Architecture and procurement principles so you are not repeating this exercise for the next algorithm change.
How we work
Senior-led from scoping to sign-off.
-
Discover
Automated and manual discovery across code, configuration, certificates, network traffic and supplier estates, combined with stakeholder interviews.
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Assess
Each cryptographic dependency rated for quantum vulnerability, data sensitivity and longevity, and migration complexity.
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Plan
Migration waves, target algorithms (ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA), hybrid approaches, supplier engagement and budget.
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Govern
Ownership, reporting and milestones so progress is visible to the board and to supervisors.
Deliverables
- Cryptographic inventory (CBOM-ready)
- Quantum risk assessment and prioritisation
- Migration roadmap aligned to NCSC milestones
- Supplier readiness questionnaire and tracking approach
- Board paper and investment case
Who it’s for
- Organisations holding data that must stay confidential for ten years or more
- Financial services, government and critical national infrastructure operators
- Technology providers whose customers will ask about their post-quantum plans
- CISOs who need to put a credible PQC business case to the board
Aligned to
- NCSC PQC migration timelines (2028 / 2031 / 2035)
- NIST FIPS 203, 204 & 205
- NIST SP 800-208 & IR 8547
- ETSI quantum-safe cryptography guidance
- DORA ICT risk management
Questions
Frequently asked.
Why start now if large quantum computers do not yet exist?
Because data encrypted today can be captured and decrypted later, and because discovery and migration in a large enterprise take years. The NCSC’s first milestone — discovery and an initial plan — is 2028.
Do we need to replace everything?
No. The point of discovery and prioritisation is to focus effort on the systems and data where quantum risk and business impact are highest, and to use natural refresh cycles wherever possible.
Which algorithms should we use?
For most purposes, the NIST standards published in 2024 — ML-KEM for key establishment and ML-DSA or SLH-DSA for signatures — often in hybrid mode during transition. We tailor recommendations to your protocols, products and suppliers.
Often paired with
Security Strategy & Architecture Review
Strategy, target operating model and architecture review — zero trust, cryptographic posture, cloud — built into a board-ready investment case.
Explore Security Strategy & Architecture ReviewRegulatory Resilience & Control Assurance
DORA, GovAssure/CAF, CBEST, TIBER-EU, FedRAMP and ISO 27001 — assurance against the frameworks your regulators actually test.
Explore Regulatory Resilience & Control AssuranceBoard AI Risk Briefing & Director Training
Separate AI as a threat, AI to govern and AI you use — so directors can challenge with confidence.
Explore Board AI Risk Briefing & Director TrainingStart with a confidential conversation.
A confidential conversation about PQC Discovery & Migration Roadmap with the senior practitioner who would lead the work. No sales team, no obligation.