U.S. Congress Passes the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act

The U.S. Congress has been working on a bill to have the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to help prioritize the migration of government agency information technology systems to post-quantum cryptography. The bill contains the following provisions:

1. Require the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prioritize the acquisition and migration of federal agencies’ information technology to post-quantum cryptography;

2. Instruct OMB to create guidance for federal agencies to assess critical systems one year after the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issues planned post-quantum cryptography standards;

3. Direct OMB to send an annual report to Congress that includes a strategy on how to address post-quantum cryptography risks, the funding that might be necessary, and an analysis on whole-of-government coordination and migration to post-quantum cryptography standards and information technology.

Both the U.S. House and Senate have passed the bill and are expected to send it shortly to President Biden for signature. You can read the full bill and status on the Congress' website here.

December 14, 2022