Google has warned that the advent of quantum computing will require an urgent transition to post-quantum cryptography, as current cryptographic systems may become vulnerable in the coming years.
On February 6, the company released a letter signed by Kent Walker, president of global affairs at Google and Alphabet, and Hartmut Neven, founder and leader of Google Quantum AI. In it, he calls on governments and businesses to take action.
Google notes in the text that while quantum computers promise advances in areas such as drug discovery, materials science, and energy, they also pose a direct threat to public-key cryptographic systems. Bank transfers, private communications, and sensitive data are now protected.
“The encryption that currently keeps information safe could be easily broken by large-scale quantum computers in the coming years,” the company warns.
Google has been working on post-quantum algorithms since 2016
Google emphasizes that the risks aren’t just for the future. Malicious attackers may already be performing “save now, decrypt later” attacks. Waiting for a quantum computer with enough capacity to store encrypted data and break it.
Faced with this scenario, the company recalls that the security community has been working for years on post-quantum cryptography (PQC), or algorithms designed to resist attacks from quantum computers.
In 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published the first set of standards in this field.
Google says it has been preparing for this scenario since 2016 with pioneering experiments, gradual implementation of post-quantum algorithms in its products, and a strategy based on cryptographic agility. Algorithms can be updated or replaced without service interruption.
The document also suggests five courses of action for public policymakers, including accelerating the adoption of NIST standards, reducing regulatory fragmentation, prioritizing technology modernization, and relying on experts to avoid “strategic surprises.”
For Google, quantum computing is “not necessarily 10 years away,” so delaying preparation increases risk.
Bitcoin could be at risk Google warns
From Bitcoin’s perspective, quantum advances make sense because its security is based on public-key cryptography. As CriptoNoticias reported, it’s the same kind of system that Google considers vulnerable in the long term.
This is because in the future, if a quantum computer exists that can break this code, the security and privacy of the system could be compromised.
However, there is currently no public evidence that quantum computers exist with any practical ability to compromise Bitcoin.
Discussions within the ecosystem focus on future scenarios and how to prepare for them, including the possible adoption of quantum-proof cryptography and transition mechanisms to new standards.