Google warns of ‘quantum apocalypse’ by 2029 \u2013 is your data still safe? <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nGoogle recently issued a dire warning highlighting how the world, including governments, financial institutions and technology providers, is increasingly facing growing cybersecurity threats. <\/p>\n
The tech giant revealed in a blogpost that quantum computers pose a significant threat to “current cryptographic standards”, culminating in an “imminent apocalypse” that could soon lead to hacking internet security.<\/p>\n
“The encryption currently used to keep your information private and secure could be easily broken by large-scale quantum computers in the coming years,” the Alphabet-owned company said. <\/p>\n
For years, computer scientists have expressed concern over the serious risks posed by functional quantum computers because they could easily break encryption and put people’s privacy at risk. <\/p>\n
Given the breakneck pace at which quantum computing is progressing, quantum computer hackers could break most existing encryption systems by 2029. <\/p>\n
Therefore, Google plans to prioritize post-quantum cryptography migration for authentication services which is a critical component of online security and digital signature migration.<\/p>\n
“By doing so, we hope to provide the clarity and urgency needed to accelerate digital transformations not just for Google, but across the industry,” Google said. <\/p>\n
Google has urged all actors across the technology landscape to keep sensitive data safe by moving it to more advanced encryption systems now, with the aim of avoiding any kind of data breach. <\/p>\n
In 2025, the UK’s cybersecurity authority, the National Cyber \u200b\u200bSecurity Centre, also urged organizations to protect their systems against quantum hackers by 2035. <\/p>\n
Leonie Mueck, former chief product officer at Riverlane, said, “National security documents from the 1920s are not relevant today. But things from 10 years ago are more relevant, and should not fall into the wrong hands in the future. You have to have classified documents that are classified today in such a way that no quantum computer will be able to decrypt them in 10 years.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n