"Store Now, Decrypt Later": Why Post-Quantum Cryptography is needed today

Technology 2026-05-23 3 min read

The technology world is racing forward, and with it, the development of quantum computers. These machines promise to solve complex medical or climate problems in a fraction of a second. Unfortunately, in the hands of cybercriminals and hostile nation-states, they become a weapon of mass destruction for current encryption standards.

Although fully functional, Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers (CRQC) will not be built for another 10 to 20 years, the threat is real today. This phenomenon is known in the intelligence community as “Store Now, Decrypt Later” (SNDL) or “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” (HNDL).

"Adversaries use a 'Harvest Now, Decrypt Later' strategy, intercepting and storing massive amounts of encrypted data that is currently secure, with the intent to decrypt it as soon as powerful enough quantum computers become available."

— Typical stance of intelligence agencies and NIST regarding PQC transition

How does SNDL (Harvest Now, Decrypt Later) work?

Current asymmetric algorithms (such as RSA or elliptic curve ECC) rely on complex mathematical problems (e.g., the factorization of large prime numbers). For a traditional computer, solving them would take billions of years. For a quantum computer utilizing Shor’s algorithm, it is a matter of hours.

Knowing this, attackers (often nation-states) are already stealing or eavesdropping on vast amounts of encrypted conversations, bank transfers, or medical records. They store them on massive server farms. As soon as quantum technology matures, they will “unlock” this historical data, which often still retains immense value (state secrets, patents, biometric data).

GADNET deploys Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) as standard

You don’t have to wait 10 years to protect yourself. Encryption standards resilient to quantum attacks have been finalized (e.g., FIPS 203 by NIST).

GADNET routers default to hybrid TLS 1.3 with PQC (Post-Quantum Cryptography) mechanisms. We use hybrid systems such as X25519MLKEM768, which combine today’s powerful elliptic curve security with the ML-KEM-768 standard, designed strictly to repel quantum attacks.

Thanks to GADNET’s architecture, all administrative and intra-network traffic is secured in such a way that even if someone attaches a sniffer and saves the packets to decrypt them in 2035 – it will be mathematically impossible.

The protection of the data you send today depends on the cryptography you are using right now. By choosing the GADNET system, you can be sure you are protecting yourself against the threats of tomorrow that are already lurking today.