The CISA has put out new guidance identifies product categories where post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is now considered “widely available” and explicitly advises agencies to procure only PQC-capable products in those categories going forward. The update covers cloud services, endpoint security, collaboration software, and web infrastructure, while signaling that networking, identity, and core infrastructure products are close behind.
You can look at the guidance from the CISA here: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/product-categories-technologies-use-post-quantum-cryptography-standards
Peter Bentley, COO of Patero, a post-quantum cryptography company working with federal agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and defense-adjacent environments, shared his perspective below.
On the “so what” of CISA’s PQC product categories list: “CISA’s new product categories list is less about theory and more about signaling where federal buying power is heading. It tells agencies and vendors alike: these are the technology lanes where post-quantum readiness will matter first. While it isn’t a mandate on its own, it functions as a procurement signal with real compliance gravity—and that makes it a market-shaping lever.”
On what agencies and vendors should not misunderstand: “The biggest mistake would be treating this as a future-dated checklist. Once categories are named, they tend to show up quickly in acquisition language, evaluation criteria, and security reviews. Vendors that wait for a formal mandate risk discovering that they’re already behind the curve when procurements begin to prefer PQC-capable solutions.”
On the biggest technical and operational trap: “The hardest part isn’t selecting a post-quantum algorithm—it’s knowing where cryptography actually lives. Most organizations don’t have a complete cryptographic inventory, and many products weren’t designed for crypto agility. Without that visibility, and arguably developing an Cryptographic Discovery and Inventory best practice, ‘PQC-enabled’ becomes a marketing label instead of a verifiable capability, especially in hybrid or mixed-vendor environments.” Patero provides a comprehensive easy to use tool to establish cryptographic visibility and best practices.
On hybrid deployments and false confidence: “Hybrid approaches are often necessary, but they’re also where programs stumble. If hybrid cryptography isn’t implemented cleanly—with clear boundaries, validation evidence, and a migration path—it can add complexity without delivering real quantum resilience. Buyers will increasingly look past buzzwords and ask what’s actually protected, where, and for how long.”
On what CISA should do next: “To make this list actionable, CISA should pair categories with minimum capability profiles—what functions must be quantum-safe, what evidence buyers should request, and how claims should be validated. That would turn a useful taxonomy into a procurement-ready tool agencies can apply consistently.”
On what industry must do now: “Vendors should assume the window for ‘we’re watching PQC’ is closing. The companies that stay eligible for federal business will be the ones that can show cryptographic inventories, interoperable hybrid deployments, and a credible roadmap—not just algorithm support. Post-quantum readiness is moving from R&D into go-to-market reality.”
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This entry was posted on January 26, 2026 at 5:14 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags CISA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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The CISA Puts Out New Post-Quantum Cryptography Guidance
The CISA has put out new guidance identifies product categories where post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is now considered “widely available” and explicitly advises agencies to procure only PQC-capable products in those categories going forward. The update covers cloud services, endpoint security, collaboration software, and web infrastructure, while signaling that networking, identity, and core infrastructure products are close behind.
You can look at the guidance from the CISA here: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/product-categories-technologies-use-post-quantum-cryptography-standards
Peter Bentley, COO of Patero, a post-quantum cryptography company working with federal agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and defense-adjacent environments, shared his perspective below.
On the “so what” of CISA’s PQC product categories list: “CISA’s new product categories list is less about theory and more about signaling where federal buying power is heading. It tells agencies and vendors alike: these are the technology lanes where post-quantum readiness will matter first. While it isn’t a mandate on its own, it functions as a procurement signal with real compliance gravity—and that makes it a market-shaping lever.”
On what agencies and vendors should not misunderstand: “The biggest mistake would be treating this as a future-dated checklist. Once categories are named, they tend to show up quickly in acquisition language, evaluation criteria, and security reviews. Vendors that wait for a formal mandate risk discovering that they’re already behind the curve when procurements begin to prefer PQC-capable solutions.”
On the biggest technical and operational trap: “The hardest part isn’t selecting a post-quantum algorithm—it’s knowing where cryptography actually lives. Most organizations don’t have a complete cryptographic inventory, and many products weren’t designed for crypto agility. Without that visibility, and arguably developing an Cryptographic Discovery and Inventory best practice, ‘PQC-enabled’ becomes a marketing label instead of a verifiable capability, especially in hybrid or mixed-vendor environments.” Patero provides a comprehensive easy to use tool to establish cryptographic visibility and best practices.
On hybrid deployments and false confidence: “Hybrid approaches are often necessary, but they’re also where programs stumble. If hybrid cryptography isn’t implemented cleanly—with clear boundaries, validation evidence, and a migration path—it can add complexity without delivering real quantum resilience. Buyers will increasingly look past buzzwords and ask what’s actually protected, where, and for how long.”
On what CISA should do next: “To make this list actionable, CISA should pair categories with minimum capability profiles—what functions must be quantum-safe, what evidence buyers should request, and how claims should be validated. That would turn a useful taxonomy into a procurement-ready tool agencies can apply consistently.”
On what industry must do now: “Vendors should assume the window for ‘we’re watching PQC’ is closing. The companies that stay eligible for federal business will be the ones that can show cryptographic inventories, interoperable hybrid deployments, and a credible roadmap—not just algorithm support. Post-quantum readiness is moving from R&D into go-to-market reality.”
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This entry was posted on January 26, 2026 at 5:14 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags CISA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.