The NCSC advises organizations to adopt post-quantum cryptography by 2035 to safeguard systems from future quantum computing threats.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of UK recommends that organizations take necessary steps to defend their systems against any possible quantum hacking by 2035. As advancements in quantum computing pose possible threats to encryption used today, the agency recommends that all organizations use cryptography post-quantum for security of the data.

In the future, quantum computers will be capable of answering complex mathematical questions that serve public key cryptography, a highly used method of encryption in banking, communication, and IT security. Unlike a traditional computer, which uses bits (0s and 1s); quantum computers perform their calculations quickly through qubits. This renders today's existing encryption vulnerable to effective decryption by such quantum algorithms.

In light of the ongoing development of large-scale quantum computers, the NCSC’s proactive measures aim to protect long-term cybersecurity resilience.

According to the phased plan established by the NCSC, organizations need to determine which services require upgrading by 2028; critical upgrades are to be prioritized by 2031; and by 2035, total migration to quantum-safe encryption should be attained. It has urged sectors such as energy and transport and those with specially designed IT systems to adopt this approach.

Chief technical officer of NCSC, Ollie Whitehouse, stated that the new recommendations provide a fair roadmap for the protection of data before quantum computers truly represent a danger. Further, experts, including Alan Woodward from Surrey University, emphasize that the safest route is transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption as early as possible.