Post-Quantum Cryptography Risk Assessment

Is Your Encryption Quantum-Safe?

Germany's 2026 regulatory deadline is here. Enterprises must begin post-quantum cryptography (PQC) migration—but most don't know where to start.

I help CTOs and CISOs at German mid-market companies:

Assess quantum vulnerability across infrastructure
Prioritize critical systems for migration
Build practical 18-month roadmaps aligned with NIS2 compliance
Avoid €400-800K consulting bills from Big Four firms

4-6 Week Assessment | €15-25K Investment | Direct Advisory (No Junior Staff)

The Quantum Threat Is Real (And Urgent)

Why 2026 Matters
Germany's federal government set explicit targets:

Migrate high-security environments to PQC by end of 2026
Initiate migration in other security-critical areas
Integrate PQC into practical IT security solutions

NIS2 Directive Requirements:

Critical infrastructure and regulated industries must demonstrate quantum readiness
3-year audit cycles require documented migration plans
Non-compliance penalties can reach €10M or 2% of global revenue

The Timeline Pressure:

2026: Assessment and planning phase (you're here)
2027-2028: Migration execution begins
2029-2030: Full compliance expected

You have 12-18 months to build your roadmap. After that, you're behind.

The "Harvest-Now-Decrypt-Later" Threat
Here's what's happening right now:

Adversaries with resources (nation-states, organized crime) are storing your encrypted data today—even if they can't decrypt it yet. Once quantum computers mature (estimated 2030-2035), they'll decrypt:

Financial records (customer data, transactions, proprietary trading algorithms)
Intellectual property (R&D, patents, trade secrets)
Personal data (customer info, employee records)
Critical infrastructure data (energy grids, healthcare systems, government communications)

If your sensitive data has a "shelf life" longer than 10 years, you're exposed.

What Quantum Computers Break
Vulnerable Cryptographic Algorithms (Must Migrate):

RSA (2048-bit, 4096-bit) → Used for SSL/TLS, VPNs, code signing, email encryption
Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) → Used for digital signatures, key exchange
Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange → Used for secure session establishment

Quantum-Safe Alternatives (NIST Standards):

ML-KEM (FIPS 203) → Lattice-based key encapsulation
ML-DSA (FIPS 204) → Lattice-based digital signatures
SLH-DSA (FIPS 205) → Hash-based digital signatures

Most companies have 100+ cryptographic dependencies. Do you know where yours are?

The PQC Risk Assessment Framework

My 4-6 Week Process Delivers Actionable Clarity

Phase 1: Discovery & Cryptographic Asset Inventory (Week 1)

What Happens:

Comprehensive interviews with CTO, CISO, IT architecture team
Map your entire infrastructure: applications, databases, PKI, cloud/edge systems
Identify all cryptographic dependencies (SSL/TLS, VPNs, code signing)
Document current security architecture and policies

Deliverable: Cryptographic asset inventory spreadsheet + infrastructure diagram

Phase 2: Risk Classification & Threat Modeling (Weeks 2-3)

What Happens:

Classify data by sensitivity: personal data (GDPR), financial records, IP/trade secrets
Assess quantum vulnerability of each system (RSA, ECC, Diffie-Hellman usage)
Build priority matrix: Which systems are critical-risk vs. manageable-risk?
"Harvest-now-decrypt-later" exposure analysis (data with >10-year shelf life)
Threat modeling: What's the impact if adversary decrypts specific datasets?

Deliverable: Risk classification matrix + threat model report

Phase 3: Regulatory Compliance Mapping (Week 4)

What Happens:

NIS2 Directive alignment: 3-year audit cycles, compliance documentation
Sector-specific mandates: Finance (BaFin), pharma (BfArM), energy (KRITIS), telecom (BNetzA)
GDPR considerations: Encrypted personal data must remain confidential post-quantum
Timeline pressure points: When do you need to demonstrate readiness?
Gap analysis: What's missing from your current compliance posture?

Deliverable: Regulatory compliance roadmap + gap analysis report

Phase 4: Migration Roadmap & Budget Estimate (Weeks 5-6)

What Happens:

18-month phased migration plan (Quarter 1-6)
System prioritization: What to migrate first (based on risk + feasibility)
Budget breakdown: Infrastructure, software, labor, training costs
Implementation options analysis: in-house, external partners, hybrid
Vendor evaluation criteria (if you need to procure PQC solutions)

Deliverable: 18-month roadmap document + budget estimate spreadsheet

Phase 5: Executive Presentation & Handoff (Week 6)

What Happens:

60-90 minute executive briefing for your leadership team
Walk through risk assessment, regulatory requirements, migration roadmap, budget
Q&A session addressing stakeholder concerns
Recommendations for next steps (governance, vendor RFPs, pilot migrations)
Follow-up consultation (2 weeks post-delivery included)

Deliverable: Executive summary presentation (board-ready) + written report (30-50 pages)

What You Get

📄 Written Risk Assessment Report (30-50 pages)
Contents:

Executive Summary (2 pages, board-ready)
Cryptographic Asset Inventory (complete list of vulnerable systems)
Risk Classification Matrix (critical/high/medium/low prioritization)
Threat Modeling & Business Impact Analysis
Regulatory Compliance Gap Analysis (NIS2, sector-specific, GDPR)
Technical Recommendations (which NIST algorithms to adopt)

🗓️ 18-Month PQC Migration Roadmap
Contents:

Quarter 1-2: Assessment completion, governance framework, vendor evaluation
Quarter 3-4: Pilot migrations (2-3 non-critical systems), staff training
Quarter 5-6: Production migration (critical systems), ongoing monitoring

Includes:

System prioritization (what to migrate first)
Budget breakdown by quarter
Resource allocation (internal team + external partners)
Risk mitigation strategies
Milestone checkpoints and success criteria

🎤 Executive Stakeholder Presentation
Format: 60-90 minute in-person or virtual session

Contents:

Risk assessment summary (10 min)
Regulatory requirements and timeline (10 min)
Migration roadmap and budget (15 min)
Q&A and discussion (25-50 min)

Follow-Up: 2-week post-delivery Q&A session included

Who This Is For

✅ You're a Great Fit If:
Company Size: €50M-€500M revenue (German Mittelstand)

Industries:

Manufacturing (automotive, industrial equipment, chemicals)
Financial services (banks, insurance, asset management)
Pharmaceuticals and biotech
Telecommunications
Energy and utilities

Your Situation:

You're a CTO or CISO responsible for cryptography and infrastructure
You face 2026/2027 compliance deadlines (NIS2, sector-specific)
You suspect you're exposed but don't know where to start
You can't answer: "Which systems are quantum-vulnerable?" and "What does migration cost?"
You need a roadmap to present to your board in Q2/Q3 2026

Your Constraints:

Budget: €15-50K for assessment (not €500K+ for transformation)
Timeline: Need clarity in 4-8 weeks (not 4-6 months)
Team capacity: Internal IT team is stretched; need external expertise

❌ You're NOT a Great Fit If:

Company Size: <€30M revenue (manageable risk, limited budget) or >€2B (need Big Four scale)
Situation: Already completed PQC assessment and need implementation (I advise, not implement)
Timeline: Want to start in 2027 or later (by then, you're behind)

Better Alternatives:

For <€30M: Wait 6-12 months, use open-source PQC tools
For >€2B: Engage Deloitte, EY, or KPMG for enterprise-scale transformation
For implementation: I'll recommend system integrators after assessment

Why Me?

✅ Deep Quantum & Cryptography Research
Developed QHFDE v2.0 (Quantum Holographic Frequency-Domain Encryption), a hybrid post-quantum framework aligning with NIST FIPS 203/204/205 standards. Published technical whitepaper (v2.0) under peer review.

What This Means: I understand the quantum threat at a technical level—but I translate it for enterprise decision-makers.

✅ 20+ Years IT Infrastructure & Consulting Experience
Built and scaled technology platforms (ALISSIA Music, blockchain systems, AI platforms). Managed infrastructure migrations, security transitions, and system integrations across industries.

What This Means: I've seen what breaks in production. I speak your infrastructure team's language.

✅ German Mid-Market Expertise
Based in Munich. German native speaker and I understand German regulatory environment (NIS2, GDPR, BaFin, BfArM, BNetzA), Mittelstand business culture, and regional tech ecosystem.

What This Means: I'm not a global firm treating you like client #487. I know your context.

✅ Transparent About What I Don't Know
I assess enterprise architecture and identify quantum-vulnerable systems. I build risk matrices and migration roadmaps. I translate NIST standards into actionable business plans.

What I don't do (and I'll tell you when to bring in specialists):

Design cryptographic algorithms (NIST already did that)
Implement PQC software (that's your IT team or system integrators)
Provide legal advice (you need lawyers for contract/regulatory interpretation)

Honesty builds trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

"I'm not technical. Can I still benefit from this assessment?"

Yes. The assessment is designed for business leaders (CTOs, CISOs, board members), not cryptographers. I translate technical concepts into business language: risk, budget, timeline, compliance.

"We already have an IT security consultant. Why do we need you?"

Because PQC is new. Most IT security consultants understand traditional cryptography but don't understand quantum algorithms, NIST PQC standards, or hybrid cryptography migration strategies.

"What if our risk turns out to be manageable? Will you still charge full price?"

Yes—but I'll tell you honestly. If after Week 2, I determine your quantum risk is low, I'll tell you. You can choose to continue (for compliance documentation) or pause and revisit in 2027 (I'll refund 50% of upfront payment).

"Can you implement the PQC migration, or just advise?"

I advise and design roadmaps. For implementation, I'll recommend your internal IT team, system integrators (Accenture, Capgemini), or vendors. I can provide implementation oversight (ongoing retainer) but I don't do hands-on implementation.

Next Steps

Path 1: Free 15-Minute Discovery Call 📅
Best For: CTOs/CISOs who need to determine if quantum risk is critical or manageable.

What We'll Cover:

Your industry, data sensitivity, regulatory pressure
Current encryption usage (if known)
Whether PQC assessment is the right next step

Path 2: Request Free PQC Risk Checklist 📋
Best For: Teams who want to self-assess before engaging external help.

What You'll Get:

10-question checklist covering quantum vulnerability indicators
Scoring guide (critical/high/medium/low risk)
Recommended next steps based on your score

Path 3: Request Full Proposal 📧
Best For: Decision-makers ready to move forward with assessment.

What You'll Receive:

Detailed proposal (scope, timeline, deliverables, pricing)
Sample deliverable excerpts
Response within 48 hours

Final Thought

The Window Is Closing
By the end of 2026, every mid-market company in Germany will be asking:

"Are we quantum-ready? What's our roadmap?"

You have two choices:

Act now (get ahead of compliance deadlines, avoid panic migrations)
Wait and react (face rushed assessments, higher costs, regulatory pressure)

The companies that assess quantum risk in Q1-Q2 2026 will have 18 months to execute intelligently. Those who wait until Q4 2026 or 2027 will be scrambling.

Where will you be?

Get in Touch!