On September 23, 2021, the General Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (AIVD) published a brochure titled “Prepare for the Threat of Quantum Computers,” warning organizations that handle sensitive information about the risks posed by advancing quantum computing to current cryptographic standards.
The AIVD publication stated that experts consider the chance small but real that quantum computers will be powerful enough by 2030 to break current cryptographic standards. It recommended that organizations begin working on a migration plan toward quantum-safe solutions, noting that migration to new cryptographic mechanisms is a complex and time-consuming process. The advisory also recommended the use of hybrid constructions combining post-quantum cryptography with classical cryptography.
The AIVD had been warning about quantum threats to cryptography since 2014, when it first issued an information sheet on quantum computers. This 2021 publication represented a more detailed and actionable advisory for Dutch government bodies, businesses, and knowledge institutions.