Within the ever-evolving panorama of cybersecurity, HNDL (Harvest Now, Decrypt Later) is rising as a silent however severe menace. It doesn’t require an attacker to interrupt encryption at this time—it simply bets that they are going to be ready to take action tomorrow.
What’s HNDL?
HNDL is a long-term information breach technique by which adversaries intercept and retailer encrypted information at this time, with the intention of decrypting it sooner or later when computing energy—significantly quantum computing—makes breaking present cryptography possible. The worth of the info doesn’t should be speedy. Delicate medical data, confidential enterprise contracts, protection communications, or citizen information can all retain strategic worth years down the highway.
Why Ought to You Be Involved?
- Quantum computing just isn’t science fiction anymore. Progress is accelerating, and whereas sensible quantum decryption should be years away, menace actors (together with state-sponsored teams) are already getting ready by harvesting information now.
- Most encryption used at this time (like RSA and ECC) will ultimately be weak to quantum assaults until up to date with post-quantum cryptography (PQC).
- You might by no means understand it’s occurring. Not like ransomware or denial-of-service assaults, HNDL leaves no speedy hint.
What Ought to Organizations Do?
You don’t want a crystal ball to defend in opposition to future dangers—you want a roadmap. Right here’s learn how to act now:
1. Stock and Classify Your Cryptographic Belongings
- Begin with a crypto-agility evaluation: Determine all cases of cryptographic use throughout your infrastructure, together with TLS, VPNs, inner apps, backups, and cloud integrations.
- Categorize the information sensitivity and longevity of confidentiality required. Something that should keep confidential for greater than 3-5 years is probably in danger from HNDL.
2. Prioritize Lengthy-Lived, Excessive-Sensitivity Site visitors
- VPN tunnels, database backups, and software program distribution programs are prime targets for HNDL.
- Site visitors between core programs and long-term logs are particularly weak.
3. Undertake Submit-Quantum Cryptography The place It Issues Most
- Start testing or deploying hybrid cryptographic protocols (e.g., classical + PQC) that meet each present and future safety wants.
- Search for standards-compliant options like these aligned with NIST’s FIPS 203/204/205 (for ML-KEM, ML-DSA, and SLH-DSA).
4. Demand PQC Roadmaps from Your Distributors
- Ask your safety distributors and infrastructure suppliers what they’re doing to help PQC and mitigate HNDL.
- Search interoperability checks and pilot deployments—don’t look forward to full productization.
5. Defend the Channel, Not Simply the Endpoint
- Even when your endpoints are safe, site visitors in transit is weak to interception.
- Safe communication channels (IPsec, TLS, MACsec) ought to evolve to help PQC as a prime precedence.
Remaining Thought
HNDL isn’t only a future drawback—it’s a gift threat disguised by time. Organizations that wait till quantum computer systems are absolutely operational will have already got misplaced the battle for his or her previous information. The time to behave is now.
If you’re headed for the #RSAC, you’ll be able to be taught extra from the Cisco session on Architecting the Way forward for Safety by Cisco Thought Chief Tim Rowley on Tuesday, April twenty ninth 2025 at 10:30 am on the Cisco Safety Sales space #N5845. We’d love to attach and trade concepts as we put together for the brand new frontiers in safety.
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