Quantum Computing's Uncertain Timetable
Professional Security, Monday, October 5th, 2026
OpenSSL's Tim Hudson says the real post-quantum deadline is how long it takes you to change your cryptography, not when Q-Day arrives.
Tim Hudson, president of OpenSSL Corporation, argues that asking when a cryptographically relevant quantum computer will arrive misses the point, because no one can give a reliable date.
The better question is how long it would take your organization to change its cryptography, which is embedded in applications, infrastructure, devices and supplier software, and for many the answer is uncomfortable.
The first step in post-quantum preparation is not choosing an algorithm but discovering where cryptography is used, what it protects, how long data must stay confidential and which parts rely on suppliers.