As Asia Pacific cements its position as a global quantum computing hub, cybersecurity giant Kaspersky has issued a stark warning: the region’s rapid technological advancement could be a double-edged sword. While quantum computing promises breakthroughs across industries, its potential to upend current encryption standards poses a critical risk to digital security.
As nations such as China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan double down on quantum investments, Kaspersky is urging governments, businesses, and researchers to proactively develop quantum-safe defenses.
The quantum computing market in Asia Pacific is projected to grow from US$392.1 million in 2024 to US$1.78 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 24.2 per cent. While this growth fuels innovation especially in finance, pharmaceuticals, and startups, it also accelerates cybersecurity challenges.
Kaspersky’s Sergey Lozhkin, Head of Global Research & Analysis for META and APAC, warns that the emerging tech could “unlock ground-breaking innovations, but also usher the region to a new era of cybersecurity threats”.
At the core of these concerns is quantum computing’s ability to render current encryption obsolete. Today’s data security largely depends on encryption techniques that quantum computers could eventually crack—potentially exposing everything from financial data to state secrets.
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Kaspersky outlines three urgent quantum-related risks:
Store now, decrypt later
Threat actors are already collecting encrypted data with the aim of decrypting it once quantum capabilities catch up. Sensitive data shared today such as diplomatic exchanges or financial records could be exposed years later.
Vulnerability of blockchain and crypto
Quantum computers could break blockchain systems reliant on Elliptic Curve Cryptography. This opens the door to forged digital signatures, compromised wallets, and manipulated transaction histories across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other platforms.
Quantum-resistant ransomware
Malicious actors may begin developing ransomware that uses post-quantum cryptography to resist both classical and future decryption efforts—potentially locking victims out of data permanently.
While practical quantum attacks are not yet a reality, Kaspersky stresses that the window for preparation is closing. Transitioning to post-quantum cryptography could take years, and failing to act now risks locking in vulnerabilities that cannot be fixed later.
“The most critical risk lies not really in the future, but in the present,” Lozhkin emphasises. “Encrypted data with long-term value is already at risk from future decryption. The security decisions we make today will define the resilience of our digital infrastructure for decades.”
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