Bree Fowler | Journalist
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Bree Fowler | Journalist
More About This Author >
At Black Hat, Quantum Security Stops Feeling Like Tomorrow's Problem
For a few days every summer, the Las Vegas Strip becomes home to one of the world’s largest gatherings of hackers, researchers, security practitioners, and technology leaders, all looking for the signals that will shape cybersecurity’s future.
The transition to post-quantum cryptography, coupled with the continued rise in artificial intelligence tools in all forms of technology and industries, is certain to be one of the hot topics of conversation this week, whether it be during formal talks or panels, or those less formal conversations between professionals off the trade show floor.
The overwhelming majority, 98%, of the 3,100 people polled for Thales’ 2026 Data Threat Report said that they’re considering the impact of quantum and AI on each other. In addition, 57% said they believe quantum will help enhance machine learning, while 54% believe it will lead to the advanced simulation of complex systems.
Countries and companies around the world are rushing to develop quantum technologies, with the US among the leaders of the pack. Companies like IBM and Google have been working for years on quantum computing breakthroughs.
On the government side of things, President Donald Trump in June signed a pair of executive orders aimed at protecting domestic quantum computing. The first launched a national effort to produce a quantum computer in the next five years, while the second directed federal agencies to transition to quantum cryptography.
While there are undoubtedly numerous benefits to quantum technologies, they also come with security risks.
In response, Thales has announced the launch of Luna 8, its next-generation hardware security module designed to help organizations prepare for the shift to post-quantum cryptography. Luna 8 allows organizations to securely store, protect, and manage cryptographic keys with market-leading performance, scalability and speed.
While it remains unclear when quantum computing will become a reality, enterprises are increasingly realizing that the time to prepare is now, said Todd Moore, Thales’ global vice president and general manager for data security products.
“For a long time, quantum felt like a science experiment, and that’s no longer the case,” Moore said. “Governments and technology companies are investing billions, and we’ve seen steady advances in both hardware and algorithms. The question is whether organizations will be ready when it does.”
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What enterprises need to do now
The challenge for enterprises is that cryptographic migrations don’t happen overnight, they can take years, Moore said. And most enterprises don’t even know everywhere cryptography is embedded in their environment.
That’s why the organizations making progress today aren’t necessarily replacing algorithms yet, he said. Instead, they're inventorying cryptography, building crypto agility, and preparing for change.
But the worst thing organizations can do is treat quantum as if it’s just a future problem, Moore said. He noted that adversaries are already collecting encrypted data and squirreling it away, with the expectation that they’ll be able to decrypt it in the future. For companies to make sure that their data remains secure for decades to come, they need to think differently.
And many security officials are keeping that in mind. For those polled for the 2026 Thales Data Threat Report, the threat of “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks was the top-cited risk, with 59% of organizations reporting that they are prototyping and evaluating post-quantum cryptographic algorithms to respond and protect themselves.
Meanwhile, AI is also changing cryptography, accelerating cryptographic research and helping researchers identify weaknesses faster.
“The broader lesson is that organizations need to prepare for a world where cryptography evolves much faster than it has historically,” Moore said.
Luna 8
What sets Luna 8 apart from the competition, Moore says, is that it’s designed with the post-quantum transition in mind. Instead of being something that organizations will have to replace in two years, the platform can evolve as standards, algorithms and threats change.
Luna 8 combines quantum-safe readiness with high-performance key protection and the flexibility enterprises need to support hybrid cryptography during what will likely be a long migration period, Moore said.
He pointed to the platform’s new cryptographic processor, which delivers significantly higher performance, something he says is becoming increasingly important as organizations adopt more computationally intensive post-quantum algorithms.
In addition, Moore said Luna 8's support for hybrid cryptography gives organizations flexibility during the transition instead of forcing an all-or-nothing migration. And it offers crypto agility for the ability to adapt as standards and research evolve, which Moore says is becoming just as valuable as any individual algorithm.
The Black Hat Marathon
While Moore says he will undoubtedly be busy introducing Luna 8 to the cybersecurity community at Black Hat, he notes that the conference is one of the best opportunities each year to hear directly from researchers who are pushing the industry forward.
“Of course I’m excited to talk about what Thales is doing, but I spend just as much time listening,” he said. “Some of the most valuable conversations happen in hallways after presentations or over coffee. It’s where you hear what security leaders are actually struggling with and what researchers are seeing before those trends become mainstream.”
And for those new to Black Hat, along with the Las Vegas desert, where the “dry heat” temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees, Moore said it’s important to remember that the conference is a marathon, not a sprint.
It may be tempting to cram as many meetings and events into your schedule as possible, but Moore says it’s important to leave room in your schedule for conversations that you didn't plan to have.
“Some of the best insights don't come from the keynote stage,” he said. “They come from researchers, customers and peers sharing what they're seeing in the real world.”
And above all else, drink more water than you think you need to.
“Everyone remembers the keynotes,” Moore said. “They forget how exhausting the week actually is.”