Certes Research Warns Legacy Systems Are Biggest Barrier to Quantum Security Readiness

Key Takeaways

• 78% cite legacy systems as top quantum security risk
• Only 11% confident of meeting post‑quantum timelines
• 74% view edge/IoT as major weak points
• 73% assess “harvest‑now, decrypt‑later” threat
• Certes launches v7 platform for quantum‑safe hybrid cloud

Pulse Analysis

Quantum computing promises breakthroughs, but it also threatens to render today’s encryption obsolete. As governments and standards bodies push for post‑quantum cryptography, enterprises are scrambling to understand the timeline and scope of the transition. The Certes Emerging PQC Imperative report shows that while senior IT leaders recognize the looming threat, most lack a concrete roadmap, leaving sensitive data exposed to future decryption capabilities.

The core obstacle is entrenched legacy infrastructure. Over three‑quarters of respondents identified outdated systems as the primary vulnerability, and a similar share flagged edge and IoT devices as especially hard to upgrade. These environments often run custom code and lack centralized management, making large‑scale cryptographic swaps complex and costly. Coupled with the “harvest‑now, decrypt‑later” strategy—where attackers stockpile encrypted data for future quantum decryption—the risk profile escalates dramatically, pressuring organizations to act faster than their current readiness levels suggest.

Certes aims to bridge the gap with its v7 Data Protection and Risk Mitigation platform, engineered for quantum‑safe encryption across hybrid cloud, edge, and legacy stacks without extensive hardware changes. By offering crypto‑segmentation and automated key management, the solution reduces operational friction and accelerates compliance with emerging post‑quantum standards. For businesses, adopting such a platform could translate into lower migration costs, faster time‑to‑market for quantum‑resilient services, and a stronger defensive posture against both present and future cryptographic threats.