Microsoft, Google and Cloudflare just made 2029 the new quantum deadline The inevitable path to access to quantum computing brings an equal and opposite responsibility to address post-quantum cryptography. Government directives from nations including the United States and France have previously set an end-of-decade timeline, stipulating that public sector bodies and “critical operators” should procure and deploy exclusively quantum-safe technologies by 2030. That timeline has now changed. Technology vendors, including Microsoft, Google and Cloudflare, have publicly stated that they will bring their quantum-safe deadline date forward to 2029. “We believe cryptographically relevant quantum computers could arrive sooner than previously expected, and the work required to prepare is significant so organizations need to start now.” A new risk horizon According to Mark Russinovich, Microsoft Azure chief technology officer, advances in quantum research and development have now “shifted the risk horizon” for everyone. “We believe cryptographically relevant quantum computers could arrive sooner than previously expected – and the work required to prepare is significant so organizations need to start now,” writes Russinovich in a recent blog post. Russinovich noted that there has been growing recognition that the transition to quantum-safe cryptography is a “multi-year engineering effort” that benefits from early planning and action, so delaying work increases both cost and risk. The Microsoft Quantum Safe Program (QSP) timeline and the goal of transitioning products and services to PQC by 2029 mean Redmond is also incorporating PQC requirements into its Secure Future Initiative (SFI). “This brings quantum-safe readiness into the same disciplined engineering framework we use for other critical security outcomes: clear ownership, measurable milestones, and transparent progress. Embedding these capabilities into our platforms empowers customers to move sooner and more confidently,” added Russinovich. “Cryptographically relevant quantum computers don’t exist yet, but many labs across the world are pursuing different approaches to building