CAs issue digital certificates that are crucial for **secure web traffic** (SSL/TLS), secure email (S/MIME), and code signing. Businesses, especially those handling sensitive transactions (e.g., e-commerce, banking), need paid SSL/TLS certificates to ensure **trust and authenticity** in their digital communications. ### List of Certificate Authorities (CAs) Likely to Adopt Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Many leading Certificate Authorities (CAs) will likely adopt Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) due to the evolving security landscape and the threat that quantum computing poses to existing encryption standards. Below is a list of prominent CAs that would adopt PQC and a strategy to pitch PQC to them: ### 1. **DigiCert** - **Why**: DigiCert is one of the largest and most trusted CAs globally. As an industry leader, DigiCert has a track record of staying ahead of cryptographic advancements. They are also members of various standards organizations (e.g., CA/Browser Forum, IETF) that guide the future of secure communications. - **Pitch**: - **Regulatory Leadership**: Highlight how DigiCert can lead the charge in complying with **NIST’s PQC standards**, which will become critical for government and regulated industries. - **Trust and Future-Proofing**: Emphasize how adopting PQC will maintain their leadership in providing **quantum-resistant certificates** that can protect communications well into the quantum era. - **First-Mover Advantage**: Position DigiCert as one of the first CAs to offer **quantum-safe certificates**, ensuring long-term data integrity for their customers. ### 2. **GlobalSign** - **Why**: GlobalSign provides digital identity services for large enterprises, IoT, and cloud security. With a strong focus on identity and device authentication, quantum-safe cryptography is critical to protect IoT ecosystems, which are particularly vulnerable to future quantum threats. - **Pitch**: - **IoT Security**: Frame the adoption of PQC as essential to secure **IoT devices** against quantum attacks. As GlobalSign is heavily invested in IoT, emphasize that **PQC-based certificates** will protect long-term security in devices with long lifecycles. - **Scalability**: Highlight the scalability of quantum-safe solutions, which will allow GlobalSign to support millions of devices in smart cities, healthcare, and industrial applications. ### 3. **Entrust** - **Why**: Entrust focuses on providing trusted identities, payment security, and data protection. They are known for their strong compliance with regulatory standards and active involvement in the public key infrastructure (PKI) ecosystem. - **Pitch**: - **Regulatory Requirements**: Focus on Entrust’s history of **meeting compliance** standards, such as FIPS, and how PQC aligns with future regulatory requirements for **quantum-safe encryption**. - **Enterprise Trust**: Explain how early adoption of PQC can position Entrust as a leader in providing **quantum-resistant solutions** to sectors like government, financial services, and healthcare, which require compliance and future-proof security measures. - **Custom PQC Solutions**: Suggest creating **custom PQC certificates** for large enterprises and government bodies, which will help Entrust differentiate its services. ### 4. **Sectigo (formerly Comodo)** - **Why**: Sectigo is a major CA that has expanded its offerings beyond certificates to include identity management, digital signatures, and IoT security. They already cater to a wide range of industries, making them a strong candidate for adopting PQC. - **Pitch**: - **IoT and Consumer Devices**: Highlight Sectigo’s focus on **IoT device security** and emphasize that PQC is crucial for securing billions of connected devices in a post-quantum world. - **Brand Positioning**: Suggest that Sectigo can further cement its position as an industry leader by offering **PQC-based certificates** that address **future threats** to IoT, browsers, and digital identity management. - **Education and Training**: Offer collaboration on **PQC training and integration services**, helping Sectigo’s customers migrate to quantum-safe environments. ### 5. **Let’s Encrypt** - **Why**: As a non-profit CA offering free certificates to improve web security, Let’s Encrypt’s focus is on automation and simplicity. While they offer free certificates, they may need to prepare for quantum-safe alternatives in the future. - **Pitch**: - **Early Adoption for Widespread Use**: Emphasize the importance of making **quantum-safe encryption widely accessible**. By integrating PQC into Let’s Encrypt certificates, they can maintain their mission of providing security while addressing future quantum threats. - **Minimal Disruption**: Pitch PQC as a solution that can be implemented with **minimal disruption** to their automated certificate issuance processes. Focus on the **future benefits** of offering free PQC-enabled certificates to millions of websites, ensuring continued data protection. - **Thought Leadership**: Present the idea of Let’s Encrypt becoming a thought leader in **democratizing quantum-safe encryption** for everyone. ### 6. **IdenTrust** - **Why**: IdenTrust specializes in providing PKI-based identity authentication solutions for financial institutions, healthcare, and government organizations. - **Pitch**: - **Critical Infrastructure**: Stress the need for **PQC solutions** to secure critical infrastructure, especially for industries like finance and healthcare, where long-term data security is crucial. - **Compliance**: Emphasize that industries like banking will be **required** to adopt post-quantum encryption to comply with future financial regulations. Early adoption by IdenTrust will solidify their place in the **financial PKI** market. - **Quantum-Ready Solutions**: Offer customized **quantum-ready PKI solutions** for clients in critical industries, leveraging IdenTrust’s reputation for security and reliability. ### 7. **SwissSign** - **Why**: SwissSign provides digital certificates and secure communication solutions to businesses across Europe. The EU’s regulations on cybersecurity and data privacy will drive the adoption of PQC in the region. - **Pitch**: - **Compliance with EU Regulations**: Point out the **emerging European standards** around PQC, particularly as countries and industries prepare for the quantum threat. Position PQC adoption as a way for SwissSign to stay compliant and secure in the European market. - **Security in Banking and Finance**: Highlight that adopting **quantum-safe encryption** will position SwissSign as a trusted CA for **European banks and financial institutions**, which have some of the strictest security and compliance requirements. - **Privacy and Security Leadership**: Offer collaboration on creating **PQC-based certificates** for **cross-border secure communications** and data protection across the EU, where privacy laws (like GDPR) mandate strong encryption. ### Pitching PQC to Certificate Authorities (CAs) #### 1. **Highlight the Quantum Threat** - Quantum computing threatens to break current public-key cryptography (RSA, ECC) used in **digital certificates**, which could lead to the compromise of secure communications across the internet. - CAs that **do not adopt PQC** will eventually issue certificates that are vulnerable to quantum attacks, resulting in widespread vulnerabilities in secure communications. #### 2. **Emphasize Compliance and Regulation** - **NIST’s PQC standards** are set to become the benchmark for post-quantum security, and CAs will need to adopt these standards to remain compliant. - Industries such as **finance**, **healthcare**, and **government** will soon **require PQC-enabled certificates** as part of regulatory compliance (e.g., FIPS, GDPR). - Early adoption of PQC positions the CA as a leader in **regulatory compliance**, securing long-term contracts with industries that require high security. #### 3. **First-Mover Advantage and Market Differentiation** - There’s an opportunity to be a **first-mover** in the **PQC-enabled certificate** space. CAs that adopt PQC early can market themselves as **quantum-safe** and future-proof. - By offering **quantum-safe certificates** before competitors, CAs can capture early adopters in critical sectors like government and financial institutions. - Differentiating through quantum-safe certificates will build **customer trust** and secure long-term relationships, especially for industries concerned about **future security risks**. #### 4. **Secure Long-Term Data Integrity** - Many businesses and government entities manage **long-term data** (health records, legal contracts, intellectual property) that needs to be secure for decades. The **“harvest now, decrypt later”** threat makes adopting PQC essential for ensuring that this data remains secure even if it’s intercepted today. #### 5. **Offer Easy Integration with Existing Infrastructure** - Ensure that PQC adoption is positioned as **seamlessly integrating** with existing PKI systems and certificates, allowing for gradual migration without disrupting current services. - Propose **dual-certificates** during the transition, where organizations can have both classical and quantum-resistant certificates to ensure flexibility and continuity. #### 6. **Future-Proof Business Model** - Position PQC adoption as a critical part of **future-proofing** the CA’s business model. With quantum computing rapidly advancing, staying ahead of the curve on quantum-safe encryption will secure the CA’s relevance and leadership in the market. - Suggest new revenue streams, such as **offering PQC as a premium feature** for industries or customers that need future-proof security now, allowing the CA to monetize quantum-resistant solutions early.