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.
Who Should Take This Course
Senior security engineers, cryptographers, security researchers, and technical leaders who need a rigorous understanding of the quantum cryptanalytic threat.
What You Will Learn
This course provides hands-on technical depth in a specific dimension of PQC migration, aligned with the PQC Migration Framework. You will gain practical, applicable skills you can use immediately in migration work.
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.