US Government Systems Unprepared for Post-Quantum Cryptography, GAO Report Finds

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report reveals that federal agencies have largely failed to implement initial preparation steps to defend against future quantum computing decryption threats. Cybersecurity firm Wiz reports that 81% of cloud services currently lack the option to configure systems with post-quantum algorithms. Less than 1% of companies are using post-quantum algorithms for digital signatures to verify users and systems. The primary immediate threat is "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later," where attackers steal encrypted data today with the intent to crack it once quantum systems mature. Google is targeting 2029 to fully transition its networks to post-quantum cryptography, placing it ahead of broader industry adoption. "Federal agencies recognize the quantum computing threat and have taken some actions to partially address it. However, agencies have not fully carried out initial steps to prepare for this threat." — GAO report authors.