Google Urges Immediate Global Action to Secure Data Against Quantum Threats
Mountain View, Saturday, 7 February 2026.
Google warns the window to secure global data is closing, urging immediate updates to combat “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks where adversaries steal encrypted secrets today for future decryption.
The “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” Reality
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) explicitly framed this urgency on February 5, 2026, through a joint statement by Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs, and Hartmut Neven, founder of Google Quantum AI [1][2]. The primary driver of this accelerated timeline is the “harvest now, decrypt later” (HNDL) threat, a strategy where malicious actors collect encrypted data today—such as banking records, corporate secrets, and government communications—anticipating that future quantum computers will be able to break current encryption standards like RSA and ECC [2][6]. While some projections suggest a quantum computer capable of cracking these codes may not emerge until 2031 or 2035, the data stolen today remains vulnerable if it possesses long-term sensitivity [6][7].
From Research to Mandate: A Tightening Timeline
To mitigate these risks, Google is transitioning its post-quantum cryptography (PQC) efforts from research and development to active deployment. The company announced it is rolling out ML-KEM, a quantum-resistant algorithm, across its infrastructure and products throughout 2026 [4]. This move aligns with standards finalized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2024 [1][2]. For the broader market, the timeline is equally aggressive; security architects and enterprise leaders are now operating within a 12 to 24-month window to shift from pilot programs to mandatory production environments [4]. Google warns that preparation must extend beyond government networks to critical sectors including energy, telecommunications, and health care [1].
Industry-Wide Mobilization
Google is not alone in this strategic pivot. Cisco has adopted a two-pillar approach involving “Secure Communications” to protect data in transit and “Secure Products” to embed trust foundations directly into platforms [5]. Meanwhile, data security firm Fortanix highlights the operational magnitude of this shift, advising organizations to immediately assess where cryptography resides within their systems to build “crypto-agility” [6]. Gartner predicts that by 2029, more than half of all enterprises will face formal mandates to replace their existing cryptographic protocols [6].