111: Every technology decision you make now is a post-quantum decision

Quantum computing may not be breaking your security today, but the decisions you make now could determine how exposed your organization is when it does. Conor Deegan explains why CTOs need to start preparing before Q Day arrives. Build your own CTO Playbook at www.theCTOplaybook.com, the leadership platform built for the full CTO journey. Coaching, podcast, and community to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and strategic impact. My guest this week is Conor Deegan, a security engineer, cryptographer, and co-founder of Project 11, focused on helping organizations prepare for the transition from classical cryptography to post-quantum cryptography. The quantum threat goes far beyond Bitcoin and digital assets. Conor explains how quantum computing could eventually affect the cryptography behind banking, communications, cloud infrastructure, authentication, health records, and everyday internet security. He breaks down what "Q Day" means, why organizations cannot simply wait until a powerful quantum computer exists, and how "harvest now, decrypt later" could put sensitive information collected today at risk in the future. The transition also comes with real engineering challenges. Post-quantum cryptography can require more computing resources, memory, storage, and bandwidth, while legacy systems and constrained devices such as IoT hardware can make migration even more difficult. Conor then shares a practical framework for CTOs: understand the threat, put someone in charge, identify critical systems and data, take the easy wins, put pressure on vendors, and stop creating migration debt. You'll Learn: [0:25] The Quantum Threat and Why It Matters [3:54] Understanding Q Day [7:52] How Quantum Computing Impacts Security [11:22] The Mission Behind Project 11 [18:58] Harvest Now, Decrypt Later [21:30] The Challenges of Post-Quantum Cryptography [27:29] From Engineer to CTO [30:20] A Practical Quantum Security Plan for CTOs [36:56] Identifying Critical Systems and Data [41:03] Taking the Easy Wins [43:12] Preparing Vendors for the Quantum Transition [43:57] Avoiding Migration Debt [45:59] Building Crypto Agility [48:35] The Quantum Challenge for IoT [54:50] Preparing for Q Day Find more from Conor Deegan and learn more about Project 11 through his professional channels: projecteleven.com, X, and LinkedIn. Conor welcomes direct contact on post-quantum migration questions. Find more from Adam on https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamhorner/ and https://www.youtube.com/@TheCTOplaybook, and explore coaching, cohorts, and how you can stay up to date at the https://www.thectoplaybook.com/, helping you build your own playbook for your path at your pace. If you prefer listening, check out the podcast at https://bit.ly/thectoplaybook.