Dan Boneh: Impact of Quantum Computing on Security

Dan Boneh, Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, explains why quantum computing is a security risk even though a large enough quantum computer doesn’t exist yet. In a “harvest now, decrypt later” attack, an adversary records encrypted internet traffic today and waits. Once a quantum computer is built, they can go back and decrypt it. Boneh says this matters for any information that must stay secret for decades, which is why governments and organizations are under pressure to move to post-quantum encryption now. Modern web browsers and websites already support some post-quantum encryption, but he notes that doesn’t mean all communication is protected yet. Winter quarter enrollment is open now for CS255: Introduction to Cryptography, a Stanford Online graduate course. It explains how cryptographic primitives work and how to use them correctly. 🔗 stanford.io/cs255-intro-crypto Browse all grad courses available this winter quarter: 🔗 stanford.io/Winter-2026 #Cryptography #QuantumComputing #Cybersecurity