Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released its National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS), which highlights the need for a more intentional and coordinated approach to cyber defense. The increasing complexity of the cyber threat landscape, combined with the accelerating pace of next-generation technologies, has made it clear the U.S. must take a leading role in developing a more comprehensive approach to protecting the nation’s digital ecosystem.
The NCS highlights the threat of quantum computing “to break some of the most ubiquitous encryption standards deployed today,” and stresses that the U.S. must prioritize and accelerate the replacement of hardware, software, and services that can be easily compromised by quantum computers.
At SandboxAQ, we are committed to supporting the NCS – and, in particular, to ensuring the U.S. and allied governments, as well as private sector IT systems, are prepared for the cyber threats of the future. We are also dedicated to fostering the talent necessary to make this future a reality. Among the five foundational pillars that support the NCS, the fourth one, “Investing in a Resilient Future,” is the most applicable to SandboxAQ’s mission. The fourth pillar states:
“Through strategic investments and coordinated, collaborative action, the United States will continue to lead the world in the innovation of secure and resilient next-generation technologies and infrastructure, including by:
The corresponding NCS passage (Strategic Objective 4.3: Prepare for our Post-Quantum Future) states:
“Strong encryption is foundational to cybersecurity and global commerce. It is the primary way we protect our data online, validate end users, authenticate signatures, and certify the accuracy of information.”
It also gives a nod to National Security Memorandum-10, which mandates all federal agencies transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) as part of a larger goal of achieving cryptographic agility, and recommends the private sector follow suit.
SandboxAQ is one of the leading developers of PQC management solutions for the Global 1000 and the public sector. Last year, we signed several contracts with global banks, telecom providers, healthcare/pharmaceutical companies, and several U.S. Government agencies, including the U.S. Air Force, to identify and assess vulnerable cryptography with new PQC algorithms currently being standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Our integration with these initial customers will enable SandboxAQ to rapidly deploy our Security Suite to other enterprise organizations and to create a streamlined path to achieving crypto-agility.
In terms of protecting critical infrastructure, we’re particularly proud of the work we’re doing with telecom providers such as Vodafone, SoftBank, and others to make their networks impervious to quantum attacks. Due to their strategic role of transmitting essential business, financial, and government data, telecom providers are both a primary target of, and a first line of defense against, adversaries wishing to disrupt the economy or threaten global security. If telecom networks aren’t protected, a critical component of the world’s cybersecurity apparatus remains vulnerable to quantum attacks.
Beyond our own solutions, SandboxAQ is heavily invested in developing the encryption algorithms the world will eventually implement. SandboxAQ members contributed to the PQC algorithm candidates selected by NIST. We're also proud to have been selected by NIST to join its National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence’s Migration to Post Quantum Cryptography Project, which is tasked with developing practices to ease migration from current public key infrastructure to PQC.
Like the White House, SandboxAQ is also concerned about building a future national workforce capable of leveraging advanced technologies like AI and quantum (AQ) to protect national interests. We’re also focused on leveraging AQ to accelerate innovation across numerous other industries, such as pharmaceutical development, manufacturing, transportation, and more. To this end, we partner with dozens of universities around the world to develop curricula and programs that stimulate interest in STEM and quantum careers, support quantum research initiatives, and bring greater diversity to our industry.
In addition, we’ve partnered with the World Economic Forum to draft a blueprint for building national quantum ecosystems, with the goal of ensuring developing quantum nations aren’t left behind on critical technological developments in healthcare, telecommunications, financial services, defense, and cybersecurity.
Given that adversaries are already stealing encrypted data and storing it until quantum computers can decrypt it in the future – so-called “Store Now, Decrypt Later” attacks – a National Cybersecurity Strategy couldn’t be more timely. With U.S. Government agencies, Global 1000 enterprises, and global systems integrators like Deloitte and EY taking the lead in driving this transition to quantum-resistant and cryptographically-agile cybersecurity systems, the U.S. is one step closer to building a defensible and resilient digital ecosystem that protects the interests of all Americans.
