For years, enterprise cybersecurity has operated on a reactive model: wait for a vulnerability to be discovered, then patch it. The arrival of quantum computing has broken that model. The threat is no longer only what hackers can decrypt today; it is what they are stealing today to decrypt tomorrow.
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What is Quantum computing? To put it simply, it refers to a new type of computer that processes information in a fundamentally different way from today’s machines, allowing it to solve certain extremely complex problems far faster than any computer we have now.
While there are many potential business use cases for quantum computing, in this article we’ll be focusing on issues around enterprise security.
TL;DR: The Quantum Threat and How Vendors Are Responding
- Experts believe Store Now, Decrypt Later (SNDL) campaigns are already happening. Adversaries are stealing encrypted enterprise data today, betting they can unlock it once quantum computers mature.
- Encryption can no longer be treated as a static, set-and-forget checkbox. It has to be evaluated as a moving target, resilient against computational power that does not exist yet but is coming.
- Three vendors illustrate where the market is heading: Cisco is building quantum resilience into infrastructure by default, Zoom is extending it into everyday video meetings, and Cellcrypt is pushing dual-layer protection to the mobile edge.
- The common thread across all three: quantum-safe defense is becoming layered and infrastructure-wide, not a single feature bolted onto an existing product.
- The buying committee’s job now is to explore a clear post-quantum roadmap from every communications vendor, not to wait for quantum computers to arrive before asking the question.
What Is a “Store Now, Decrypt Later” (SNDL) Attack?
A store now, decrypt later (SNDL) attack is when adversaries steal encrypted enterprise data with the intent of decrypting it once quantum computing becomes available. Also known as “harvest now, decrypt later,” this approach does not require breaking today’s encryption; it only requires patience.
Currently, enterprise data is protected by mathematical encryption that would take a traditional computer thousands of years to crack. Future quantum computers could break this same math in minutes.
But how far away are these advanced capabilities? A group of Forrester analysts concluded in 2025 :
“The commercial availability of quantum computers that can compromise traditional asymmetric cryptography is still five to 10 years away.”
However, starting preparations now ensures that organizations can protect their information from these future cyber exploits.
Why Does the SNDL Threat Timeline Matter for Data Retention?
The SNDL threat timeline matters because data encrypted today can remain vulnerable throughout its retention period, even if quantum computers do not arrive for another decade. Healthcare records must be retained for up to 25 years, financial transactions for 7 to 10 years, and legal contracts often longer. Data encrypted today with classical algorithms will likely become vulnerable well within its retention window.
Key Takeaways
- SNDL attacks do not require breaking today’s encryption. Adversaries steal now and wait for quantum decryption capability to catch up.
- Forrester estimates quantum computers capable of breaking asymmetric cryptography are 5 to 10 years away, but data stolen today is already exposed within that window.
- Encryption can no longer be treated as a static checkbox. Buyers must evaluate whether their communications stack is resilient against future computational power.
How Is Cisco Fortifying the Enterprise Backbone Against Quantum Threats?
Cisco is fortifying the enterprise backbone against quantum threats by embedding quantum-safe secure boot into all newly introduced campus, branch, and data center infrastructure by default, and by extending quantum-safe communications capabilities across most of its core portfolio by the end of 2026.
The first layer of defense against SNDL is securing the massive flow of data across the corporate network; buyers cannot protect endpoints if the underlying network fabric is vulnerable to harvesting.
At Cisco Live 2026, the company formalized a three-level Quantum Resilience Framework to give the industry a common language for post-quantum maturity. Beyond protecting data confidentiality, Cisco is addressing a more systemic quantum risk it calls “Trust Collapse.”
If quantum attacks undermine the integrity mechanisms of a network, such as software signing and device attestation, attackers would not just read encrypted data; they could impersonate trusted systems and push malicious updates.
To prevent this, Cisco has adopted a two-pillar approach: Secure Communications, which protects data in transit, and Secure Products, which embeds quantum-resistant trust foundations directly into hardware.
Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, announced that all newly introduced Cisco campus, branch, and data center routers, switches, and firewalls now launch with quantum-safe secure boot by default.
What Is Cisco’s Quantum Resilience Framework?
Cisco’s Quantum Resilience Framework is a three-level maturity model (Level 1, 2, and 3) designed to give enterprises and vendors a common language for evaluating post-quantum cryptography readiness. It assesses boot integrity, control plane integrity, and data plane integrity, rather than treating quantum resilience as a single feature to switch on.
Key Takeaways
- Cisco’s approach spans Secure Communications and Secure Products, treating quantum resilience as infrastructure-wide rather than a bolt-on feature.
- New Cisco campus, branch, and data center hardware ships with quantum-safe secure boot by default, targeting most of the core portfolio by December 2026.
- Ask Cisco directly: which specific product lines fall outside the December 2026 quantum-safe commitment, and what is the migration path for existing hardware?
How Is Zoom Protecting Boardroom and Everyday Meetings From Quantum Threats?
Zoom is protecting boardroom and everyday meetings from quantum threats by rolling out post-quantum end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for Zoom Meetings, using the Kyber 768 algorithm now being standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Zoom states it is the first major UCaaS provider to offer post-quantum E2EE for videoconferencing, with plans to expand the capability to Zoom Phone and Zoom Rooms.
The most sensitive conversations in the world, including board meetings, legal depositions, and product launches, happen on video calls. If a bad actor harvests the encrypted data stream of a video call today, that data could be used to blackmail executives or steal trade secrets once quantum decryption becomes viable.
By adopting a next-generation encryption method built to resist quantum decryption, Zoom is recognizing the threats posted by quantum, and has started adopting the necessary protections.
Why Does This Matter for Everyday Video Meetings, Not Just Defense and Government?
This matters for everyday video meetings because sensitive business conversations, not just classified government communications, are now a realistic target for data harvesting. Zoom’s move signals that quantum-safe protection is becoming a baseline expectation for any platform handling confidential business discussions, not a specialist feature for a narrow set of high-security customers.
Key Takeaways
- Zoom claims it is the first major UCaaS provider to deploy quantum-resistant encryption for video meetings at scale.
- The rollout covers Zoom Meetings & Zoom Phone.
- Ask any UCaaS vendor directly: can you guarantee quantum-resistant protection across the UC stack?
How Does Cellcrypt Secure the High-Stakes Mobile Edge?
Cellcrypt looks to secure the high-stakes mobile edge by combining two independent, next-generation encryption methods. Executives discussing sensitive intellectual property on mobile devices are prime targets for targeted data harvesting. With quantum, standard mobile encryption may no longer be sufficient at this edge of the network.
Relying on a single quantum-resistant method can create risk. If a future breakthrough weakens that one method, all data encrypted with it becomes exposed at once. Cellcrypt’s approach is designed to counter this by requiring two entirely separate, independently developed methods to fail at the same time before encrypted data is exposed.
By encrypting calls, messages, and files directly on the device before they hit the network, Cellcrypt aims to protect UC data even if a nation-state actor harvests the data in transit.
Why Does Using Two Different Defenses Matter More Than Just One?
None of today’s quantum-resistant methods have the decades of real-world testing that today’s standard encryption has behind it. Combining two separate approaches means a single future weakness in one does not automatically compromise all protected data at once.
The Market Direction: From Single-Algorithm to Defense-in-Depth
Cisco is building quantum resilience into infrastructure by default. Zoom is extending it into everyday communications. Cellcrypt is pushing it further into dual-layer, algorithm-diverse protection at the mobile edge. Each move sits on the same trajectory: the market is heading toward layered, infrastructure-wide post-quantum defense as the baseline expectation.
What this arc shows is a maturity curve, not three unrelated announcements. The network layer, the communications layer, and the device layer are each being hardened in parallel.
Key Takeaways
- Cellcrypt’s dual-layer model looks to reduce correlated failure risk versus single-algorithm approaches.
- On-device encryption before network transmission is designed to neutralize SNDL harvesting even if data is intercepted in transit.
- Ask mobile security vendors: does your post-quantum architecture rely on a single algorithm family, or does it combine independent approaches?
What Is the NIST Roadmap for Post-Quantum Migration?
The NIST roadmap for post-quantum migration is built around three finalized standards: for key encapsulation, for digital signatures, and for a stateless hash-based signature alternative. These were finalized in 2024, giving enterprises a concrete, government-backed framework to migrate away from quantum-vulnerable algorithms.
What these standards do is remove the guesswork from procurement. Buyers can now ask a precise question: which of these three standards have you implemented, and where in your product line are they deployed? That specificity is what separates genuine post-quantum readiness from marketing language.
Key Takeaways
- NIST’s finalized standards, published in 2024, give enterprises a concrete framework for post-quantum migration rather than a theoretical target.
- Buyers should ask vendors which standards are implemented, and in which products.
- A vendor’s answer to this question is one of the clearest signals of quantum readiness.
Taken together, Cisco, Zoom, and Cellcrypt show that vendors are treating quantum resilience seriously. They are building toward NIST’s framework, well ahead of when quantum computers are expected to pose a practical threat. This is something buyers can’t afford to ignore.
Which vendors are setting the standard for secure enterprise communications in 2026? The UC Awards 2026 recognize the platforms proving quantum resilience and security leadership at scale.
Final Takeaway: What Does the Buying Committee Need to Do Next?
Quantum security is no longer just an IT problem; it is a corporate risk and compliance issue. Organizations that delay migration risk exposing sensitive data that was encrypted years before quantum capability emerges.
To begin the transition, the buying committee should mandate a quantum-focused assessment. It should identify all dependencies across the organization’s infrastructure and determine which components require upgrading.
When evaluating any new communications, networking, or UC platform, leaders should ask vendors two critical questions:
- “What is your roadmap for adopting Quantum Cryptography standards?”
- “How are you protecting our data from Store Now, Decrypt Later attacks?”
The organizations that will thrive in the quantum shift are recognizing the risks. And are partnering with security vendors who see them too.
Ready to see how the market’s leading secure communications platforms measure up? Discover the Best Secure Communications Solution category at the UC Awards 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions: Quantum Threats and Post-Quantum Encryption
What is a store now, decrypt later attack?
A store now, decrypt later (SNDL) attack occurs when adversaries steal and stockpile encrypted enterprise data today, intending to decrypt it once a viable quantum computer becomes available. Also called harvest now, decrypt later, the attack requires no breakthrough today, only patience and enough stolen data to make future decryption worthwhile.
How soon will quantum computers be able to break current encryption?
Forrester analysts estimate that quantum computers capable of breaking traditional asymmetric cryptography are five to 10 years away. However, data stolen today through store now, decrypt later attacks remains exposed for that entire window, making early migration to post-quantum cryptography a present-day priority, not a future one.
Which vendors offer post-quantum encryption for UC and mobile communications?
Cisco is embedding quantum-safe protection into new network infrastructure by default. Zoom offers quantum-resistant end-to-end encryption for Zoom Meetings, with Zoom Phone and Zoom Rooms to follow. Cellcrypt combines two independent quantum-resistant methods to secure mobile calls, messages, and files at the device level.
What are the NIST post-quantum cryptography standards?
NIST finalized its first three post-quantum cryptography standards in 2024, covering secure key exchange and digital signatures for the quantum era. These standards give enterprises a concrete, government-backed framework for migrating away from encryption that quantum computers will eventually be able to break.
What should enterprises do first to prepare for the quantum threat?
Enterprises should mandate a cryptographic inventory and impact analysis to identify which systems, data types, and vendor dependencies rely on quantum-vulnerable encryption. This inventory is the foundation for any migration plan, since organizations cannot upgrade what they have not first identified.
About the Author
Sean Nolan is a Technology Journalist at UC Today. He has experience reporting on software that impacts employee experience, enterprise security, and workplace management. Connect with Sean on LinkedIn.
