The Quantum Threat — For the People Who Own the Decision
The quantum threat to cryptography is real, but the public conversation around it is contaminated with vendor-driven fear on one side and dismissive complacency on the other. Executives making budget and strategy decisions need an accurate picture: what the threat actually is, which regulatory deadlines are already set, what migration costs, and how to distinguish a credible migration plan from a sales pitch.
This course provides that picture in four hours, without requiring a technical background. It is designed to be taken before your organization commits to a PQC migration budget, selects vendors, or approves a migration program.
Who Should Take This Course
C-suite executives, SVPs, and senior directors who will approve PQC migration budgets, set organizational priorities, or report on quantum risk to boards and investors. This course is also appropriate for executive advisors and management consultants who brief senior leadership on quantum security.
You should take this course if you:
- Need to decide whether and when to fund a PQC migration program
- Must evaluate migration proposals and vendor recommendations without being dependent on a single technical advisor
- Are responsible for risk reporting that includes quantum exposure
- Need to brief your board on the quantum threat without overselling or underselling it
- Want to understand what regulatory deadlines actually require of your organization
What You Will Learn
- Assess the quantum threat accurately: what a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) can and cannot do, and when it might arrive
- Explain the harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) and trust-now-forge-later (TNFL) threats in business terms: which organizational assets are exposed and what the consequences look like
- Identify the regulatory and contractual deadlines that create immediate obligations regardless of CRQC timeline uncertainty (CNSA 2.0, sector-specific mandates, insurance requirements, client contractual expectations)
- Evaluate the cost dimensions of PQC migration: what drives cost, what the ranges look like, and how to frame migration as risk reduction and compliance rather than discretionary spending
- Ask the right questions when evaluating a PQC migration proposal: the questions that separate a credible, well-planned program from a vendor-driven initiative that will consume budget without delivering results
- Communicate quantum risk to your board, investors, and peers using evidence-based framing that conveys genuine urgency without resorting to fear
Course Outline
Module 1 — The Quantum Threat: Executive Assessment
What quantum computers will break and what they will not. The difference between the quantum computing milestones making headlines and the specific capability (a CRQC) that threatens cryptography. Timeline assessment: what credible experts actually say versus what vendors and media claim. The HNDL threat: adversaries are harvesting your encrypted data today for future decryption — why this creates urgency before a CRQC exists. The TNFL threat: how retroactive signature forgery could undermine software supply chains, legal documents, and financial records.
Module 2 — Deadlines, Regulations, and Market Pressure
CNSA 2.0: the US federal timeline that is already affecting procurement, including the January 2027 acquisition gate. EU quantum-readiness directives. Sector-specific requirements: financial services (G7 CEG, PCI DSS roadmap, DORA crypto-agility), telecommunications (GSMA), defense (NSM-10). How insurance markets are adding PQC readiness to cyber insurance questionnaires. How client and partner contractual expectations are creating commercial pressure. The key insight: regulatory deadlines create obligations now, regardless of when a CRQC arrives.
Module 3 — Cost, Budget, and ROI Framing
What PQC migration actually costs: the discovery phase, the planning phase, the implementation phase, and the ongoing operational phase. Cost drivers: estate size, cryptographic diversity, vendor dependency, and organizational complexity. How to frame migration in budget conversations: risk reduction (quantified using HNDL exposure windows), regulatory compliance (avoiding penalties and market access restrictions), competitive positioning (demonstrating readiness to clients and partners), and insurance premium implications. Common budget mistakes and how to avoid them.
Module 4 — Evaluating Migration Plans and Vendors
The questions that separate a credible PQC migration program from a vendor-driven initiative. Does the plan start with discovery, or does it jump to product procurement? Is the migration methodology vendor-independent? Does it account for the vendor dependency problem (your timeline depends on vendors who may not be ready)? Does it include verification and testing, or does it declare victory at deployment? How to evaluate vendor claims about PQC readiness. The board-briefing toolkit: a structured approach to presenting quantum risk and migration status to your board.
Format and Delivery
Online (self-paced) — US$399. Approximately 4 hours. 90-day access.
Live online (instructor-led) — US$399. Half-day session with executive Q&A.
In-person (instructor-led) — US$699. Half-day at your offices or scheduled locations. Small-group format ideal for leadership teams.
Corporate delivery — Custom briefing for executive teams. Contact training@quantumacademy.com.
Prerequisites
None. No technical background required.
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion, you will receive a Quantum Academy certificate of completion. This is not a professional certification.
Pricing
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Online (self-paced) | US$399 |
| Live online (instructor-led) | US$399 |
| In-person (instructor-led) | US$699 |
All prices are in US dollars.