Executive Order 14409 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Background and Policy. The advent of large-scale quantum computers, particularly in the hands of adversaries, will pose a significant threat to widely used cryptographic security systems. Ongoing cyber activity against our Nation also presents the risk of adversaries collecting United States information now, and decrypting it later once large-scale quantum computers are operational. In light of these threats, the United States must take steps to strengthen cryptographic protections for the Nation’s sensitive data, critical infrastructure, and digital economy. It is the policy of the United States to safeguard national security and maintain technological leadership by responsibly and effectively executing the transition of Federal information systems to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and to assist critical infrastructure owners and operators with their transitions. Sec. 2. Definitions. For purposes of this order: (a) the term “agency” has the same meaning as it has in 44 U.S.C. 3502(1); (b) the term “critical infrastructure” has the same meaning as it has in section 1016(e) of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)); (c) the term “high impact system” means an information system in which at least one security objective (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, or availability) is assigned a FIPS 199 potential impact value of “high”; (d) the term “high value asset” or “HVA” means Federal information or a Federal information system designated as a high value asset under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-19-03, “Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Agencies by Enhancing the High Value Asset Program,” or any successor document; (e) the term “information systems” has the same meaning as