Windows 11 is already getting defenses against future threats from quantum computers

Quantum computers could come with many benefits, but there are also potential pitfalls if these devices are used to nefarious ends in the future.

Windows 11 is already getting defenses against future threats from quantum computers
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Tech Reporter
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TL;DR: Microsoft is enhancing Windows 11 security in preview build 27852 to counter future quantum computing threats. This proactive measure helps organizations test and optimize defenses against "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks, in anticipation of the time when quantum computers eventually become a powerful force for cracking.

It probably didn't escape your attention that Microsoft has made a big deal out of how Windows 11 is a much tougher nut to crack than its predecessor in terms of security, and now the company is bolstering those defenses in an improbable sounding way.

Windows 11 is already being prepped against the threats potentially posed by quantum computers in the future (Image Credit: Microsoft)
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Windows 11 is already being prepped against the threats potentially posed by quantum computers in the future (Image Credit: Microsoft)

This is the announcement that Windows 11 will benefit from new countermeasures designed to fend off the threat of quantum computers.

And yes, you're quite correct, those are machines which don't actually exist yet - at least not in any real form which is better than a traditional computer. What we have now in the way of quantum computers do work, but they're limited.

The key word is yet, of course, because powerful quantum computers will be realized eventually, so what Microsoft is doing is laying the security groundwork in dealing with that reality.

And what's actually happening is that from preview build 27852 for Windows 11, Microsoft is supporting post-quantum cryptography.

The software giant explains in a blog post (highlighted by Tom's Hardware):

"We're making PQC capabilities available for Windows Insiders, Canary Channel Build 27852 and higher, and Linux, SymCrypt-OpenSSL version 1.9.0."

Microsoft continues:

"By obtaining early access to PQC capabilities, organizations can proactively assess the compatibility, performance, and integration of these novel algorithms alongside their existing security infrastructure. This practical approach helps security teams identify potential challenges, optimize implementation strategies, and enable an easier transition as industry standards evolve.

"Furthermore, early adoption will offer valuable insights into the ways in which PQC can help mitigate emerging threats, thereby positioning organizations to more effectively protect sensitive data against future quantum threats."

And that's the key aspect: Microsoft is looking to defend against "harvest now, decrypt later" threats. Meaning that data could be stolen now, and kept until quantum computing is a reality and can be leveraged by the thieves to crack that data.

This is the first step in what Microsoft calls a broad move to pave the way for the future of quantum computing and all its benefits, while defending against the risks.

Arguably, the bigger threat could be a lack of sufficiently robust guardrails not for quantum computing, but for AI, which still continues to gather momentum like a juggernaut, of which nobody is quite sure in which direction it's headed in terms of the wider effects on our future as a society.