European IT leaders fear quantum risks amid slow preparation

Research from ISACA finds that European IT professionals are concerned about the cybersecurity implications of quantum computing, but few organisations have developed strategies to address the risks.

According to ISACA's latest survey, 67% of European IT professionals believe quantum computing could increase or shift cybersecurity risks in the coming years. However, only 4% report that their organisation has a defined quantum computing strategy in place.

The study highlights a lack of readiness among organisations despite the anticipated impact of quantum technologies. Only 35% of respondents believe quantum computing will enter the mainstream within a few years, in contrast with warnings from Microsoft and other technology experts who suggest that the timeline is accelerating due to recent advancements.

Microsoft's Mojana 1 chip, launched in February, is cited as an example of progress towards enabling practical quantum computers. Quantum computing is expected to offer significant opportunities for sectors including cybersecurity and healthcare, with 56% of survey respondents viewing it as beneficial for business and 44% believing it will create revolutionary innovations.

Despite this optimism, the potential effects on cryptography and security are a major concern within the IT community. Quantum computing technologies have the potential to make current cryptography standards obsolete, which could disrupt everyday activities such as banking transactions, secure communications, and cloud data storage.

Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA, said: "Given recent quantum advancements and breakthroughs, we can expect quantum computing to be present in our day-to-day platforms and processes within the next few years. Whilst this will present great opportunities for innovation in several industries, significant cybersecurity risks emerge both in terms of quantum in a silo as well as through the rise of Quantum AI. For instance, cryptography is present in all businesses, industries and sectors, and quantum computing has the potential to break the cryptographic protocols that we use, rendering simple services useless. At the same time, quantum will substantially transform AI by boosting its capabilities, together with the risks associated with it."

The ISACA study found that apart from a widespread lack of strategic preparation, a skills gap also exists. Only 2% of respondents strongly agree they have a good understanding of quantum computing's capabilities. Similarly, just 5% say they have a strong grasp of the new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) post-quantum cryptography standards, despite these standards being in development for more than a decade.

Concerns about cryptography lie at the heart of the apprehension. Two thirds of IT professionals expressed worries about quantum computing breaking current internet encryption before organisations have had the chance to fully implement new, quantum-resistant protocols—a situation that could undermine digital trust in critical services and platforms.

Only 40% of IT professionals report that their organisation has even considered adopting post-quantum cryptography, and over half (52%) stated their organisations have not integrated quantum computing into any strategic planning or roadmap.

Dimitriadis emphasised the need for immediate action: "As a society that relies so heavily on digital systems, it's imperative that we take this seriously. Organisations must make sure that they are already planning about how their operations might look in a post-quantum world, while they keep developing a holistically trained workforce on AI. They simply cannot afford to defer this critical preparation, risking the stability of the global economy itself. We need to build a holistically trained workforce on Quantum (and continue doing this for AI) and then create a plan for transition to the post-quantum era, enabling the safe adoption of these emerging technologies, so we can enjoy the benefits of innovation in a safe manner."

The findings suggest that efforts are needed to increase quantum computing literacy and to prioritise training, especially as more countries, including the UK, commit to funding quantum skills programmes. The UK Government has pledged over GBP £60 million to quantum skills initiatives running until 2034.

ISACA's study was conducted online and gathered responses from 2,685 professionals in Europe, providing insight into the prevailing attitudes and preparedness regarding quantum computing.