A Rigorous Treatment of the Cryptanalytic Threat
For professionals who need to understand the quantum threat at a rigorous technical level, not the executive summary, but the actual mechanics, this 8-hour deep dive covers quantum computing from qubits through logical operations, error correction thresholds, the resource estimates for breaking RSA and ECC, and a structured methodology for assessing the timeline to a cryptographically relevant quantum computer.
Course Outline
Module 1. Quantum Computing Mechanics
Qubits, superposition, and entanglement at a technical level. Quantum gates and circuits. Measurement and quantum state collapse. The mathematical framework needed to understand quantum algorithms. Physical versus logical qubits and why the distinction is central to threat assessment.
Module 2. Shor’s Algorithm and Cryptanalysis
How Shor’s algorithm breaks RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography. The quantum Fourier transform and period finding. Why symmetric cryptography and hash functions are more resistant (Grover’s algorithm and its limits). The specific cryptographic primitives at risk and the nature of that risk.
Module 3. Error Correction and Resource Estimates
Quantum error correction: why it is necessary and how it works. Error correction thresholds and the overhead from physical to logical qubits. Resource estimates for breaking RSA-2048 and ECC: how many logical qubits, how many physical qubits, how long. How resource estimates have evolved and what drives the uncertainty.
Module 4. Timeline Assessment Methodology
A structured methodology for assessing the CRQC timeline. Reading hardware roadmaps critically. Distinguishing announced from demonstrated capabilities. Tracking error correction progress as the key indicator. Building a defensible timeline assessment from published research rather than vendor claims or media narratives.
Prerequisites
A working understanding of PQC fundamentals is recommended. Consider Post-Quantum Foundation or PQCS certification for background. Some courses assume security engineering experience.
Certificate of Completion
Upon completion, you will receive a Quantum Academy certificate of completion. CPE credits earned may apply toward Quantum Academy certification maintenance.
Who this course is for
Security researchers, cryptography engineers, technical analysts, and senior security architects who need to make or defend threat timeline assessments. Also appropriate for quantum computing professionals who want to understand the cryptanalytic application of quantum computing specifically.
What you’ll be able to do afterward
- Explain Shor’s algorithm mechanics and calculate resource estimates for specific cryptographic targets
- Assess Grover’s algorithm limitations (parallelization barriers, error-correction overhead)
- Apply the CRQC Capability Framework to evaluate threat claims
- Evaluate current hardware modalities and their paths to cryptographic relevance
- Read and critically assess quantum computing research papers and threat analyses
- Construct defensible threat timeline assessments for organizational planning
What you leave with
You leave with the course handbook, a PDF of the full material with the instructor notes written out in place of the slides’ bullet points, and a PDF copy of Quantum Ready, included at no extra cost. The handbook is yours to keep. For most organizations, that shared reference is the clearest return on a training budget.
Enrollment includes 180 days of access to the online on-demand course. Where that course is not yet published, the 180 days start on the day it is.
Where this course fits
Post-Quantum Foundation or PQCS Specialist Training give the grounding this course builds on. Neither is enforced. Post-Quantum Foundation if you now want the migration side, and QCSP training for the security of quantum systems themselves.
Why we teach this
The course is built on the Applied Quantum PQC Migration Framework, published openly under Creative Commons at pqcframework.org and written by the practitioners who teach here. The people who teach this course are running migration programs inside organizations now, and the course covers what those programs hit.
About this program
Quantum Academy credentials are private professional credentials issued by Quantum Academy, a trade name of Post-Quantum Institute. They are not government-issued licenses, accredited degrees, or academic credit, and earning one does not guarantee employment, promotion, regulatory approval, or any other specific outcome.
Quantum Academy programs are educational and informational only, and are not legal, compliance, or engineering advice.