Why Singapore SMEs cannot wait for quantum cyber risk to arrive before securing data By Tony OngSMEs need to treat migration as a staged process rather than a one-time upgrade. If you’re a business operating with any form of sensitive data in Singapore, chances are you’ve already been breached – with or without your knowledge. Cybersecurity is already difficult enough for SMEs in Singapore. Businesses are managing a variety of software, juggling between cloud tools, vendor and payroll systems, customer databases, and the like, often with lean IT teams and limited budgets. But now that quantum computing is a reality staring us in the face, imagine the exponential damage bad actors with malicious intent can do with these “supercomputers.” Quantum is not just a distant concern reserved for governments, banks, and global tech giants anymore. Whilst quantum computers are not breaking business systems today, most if not all current encryption methods may become vulnerable once the technology matures. This creates a problem that businesses cannot simply postpone, because sensitive data can be stolen now and decrypted later. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has warned that organisations should start planning for post-quantum cryptography now, especially for high-value, long-lived sensitive data, because cryptographic transitions will take time. This matters for SMEs more than many realise, as current encryption standards are to be deprecated by 2030 and phased out by 2035. Not all valuable data loses relevance after a few months. Supplier pricing, customer records, contracts, HR information, technical drawings, product specifications, financing documents, and operational data can remain sensitive for years. A breach today puts these at risk for years to come. This is why quantum security should be treated as a business resilience issue, not just an IT issue. And the global cyber environment is also adding to