Understanding the Quantum Threat: Computing, Networking, and Cryptography Fundamentals

Quantum computing is moving from theory toward engineering reality, and it carries direct consequences for the cryptography that secures today's networks. This introductory session brings security practitioners up to speed on two connected topics: how quantum computers work and why they're fast for certain problems, and how quantum networking distributes entanglement to enable capabilities like quantum key distribution. We'll ground every concept in security relevance — including why RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and ECC are genuinely threatened by Shor's algorithm while properly-keyed AES-256 remains quantum-resistant against Grover's, and what "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later" means for data you transmit today. You'll leave with a clear, accurate mental model of how quantum computing threatens current public-key cryptography, why the timeline ("Years to Quantum") remains uncertain, and how quantum key distribution uses the laws of physics to detect eavesdropping.