Quantum Readiness: Anand Oswal on the Future of Digital Trust

In a deep dive into the shifting sands of global cybersecurity, Anand Oswal, Executive Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, has outlined a roadmap for the “Quantum Era.” As businesses transition to multi-cloud environments and integrate Agentic AI, Oswal warns that the greatest threat isn’t just today’s malware, but a future “cryptographic collapse” driven by quantum computing.

The “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” Crisis

The most pressing concern highlighted by Oswal is a tactic used by nation-state actors known as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later.” * The Threat: Attackers are currently siphoning massive amounts of encrypted sensitive data (health records, national secrets, and IP). While they cannot read it today, they are stockpiling it until quantum computers become powerful enough to break current encryption standards.

• The Timeline: Experts estimate that “Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers” (CRQCs) could be operational by the end of this decade, making today’s data vulnerable retroactively.

Decoding the Strategy: 3 Pillars of Defense

To counter these emerging threats, Oswal emphasizes a transition from fragmented point solutions to a unified, AI-powered platform approach.

1. Foundational Visibility (The Crypto Inventory)

“You cannot protect what you cannot see,” Oswal notes. Organizations must create a comprehensive inventory of their cryptographic assets—identifying which applications, APIs, and IoT devices are using legacy encryption that needs an immediate upgrade.

2. Network-Level “Cipher Translation”

For legacy systems that cannot be easily re-engineered, Palo Alto Networks has introduced cipher translation. This technology acts as a bridge, allowing older applications to communicate securely using quantum-resistant algorithms without changing their underlying code.

3. Quantum-Optimized Infrastructure

The firm recently launched 14 new 5th-generation Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs). These are specifically designed to handle the high-performance processing required for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), ensuring that security measures don’t become a bottleneck for network speed.

The Evolution of the Perimeter

Beyond quantum risks, Oswal highlighted the shift toward “Agentic AI”—AI that doesn’t just answer questions but takes actions. He argues that the Web Browser has become the new “operating system” for the enterprise, requiring a Zero Trust approach directly within the browser (via tools like Prisma Browser) to secure AI-augmented workflows.

“Quantum readiness is no longer a research project; it is a critical component of enterprise risk management. The dividing line of the future will be between those who were crypto-agile and those who were left exposed.” — Anand Oswal