Why Crypto Agility Is Now a Security Imperative

The clock is ticking for the security industry to prepare for post quantum cryptography (PQC), yet many integrators, manufacturers and enterprise security teams remain unready for the infrastructure changes that will define the next decade of protection.

Even though practical quantum threats may still be five to 10 years away, the shift to crypto agility — the ability to rapidly swap encryption algorithms, keys or certificates — will soon determine who can maintain operational continuity when legacy systems fall behind.

According to Sectigo’s 2025 State of Crypto Agility Report with Omdia, most organizations are already concerned about managing shorter certificate lifecycles and the broader transition to post quantum readiness.

Quantum is closer than you think

Quantum computing is no longer a research topic, it is moving toward commercial capability. IonQ’s roadmap points to systems with roughly 1,600 logical qubits by 2028, potentially capable of breaking RSA 2048 encryption. The Global Risk Institute’s 2024 Quantum Threat Timeline Report places a 33% to 34% probability on cryptographically relevant quantum systems appearing within a decade.

For the security industry, that means the devices, systems and controllers deployed today, from IP cameras to access control panels and IoT sensors, must be built with agility in mind because the encryption they use today could become obsolete before the device’s service life ends.

Certificate lifecycles are shrinking fast

The cryptographic clock is also ticking on existing infrastructure. The CA Browser Forum has set aggressive new certificate expiration rules:

·       By March 2026, public TLS certificates will shrink to 200 day lifespans;

·       By March 2027, that drops to 100 days;

·       By 2029, only 47 days.

This shift affects more than IT, it directly impacts physical security systems that rely on digital certificates for device authentication, firmware validation and secure remote management.

Imagine the ripple effect across video surveillance, access control and IoT or OT networks. Each sensor, camera or controller that uses TLS will require far more frequent certificate renewals. Without automation and crypto agile infrastructure, that means service interruptions, failed authentications, and costly on site fixes.

Downtime is not just inconvenient. ITIC’s 2024 Hourly Cost of Downtime Report found that a single hour of downtime now costs mid and large sized enterprises more than 300,000 dollars, and that figure does not include lost safety monitoring or access control failures.

Crypto agility: The operational lifeline

Crypto agility is the bridge between today’s encryption and tomorrow’s post quantum world. It enables rapid deployment of new cryptographic standards without physically touching every endpoint, an advantage that is essential in environments where devices are distributed, legacy laden or mission critical.

For security integrators, crypto agility means designing systems that can evolve without requiring total hardware replacement. For manufacturers, it means embedding modular cryptography and firmware update capabilities directly into products. For enterprise leaders, it ensures security operations remain continuous even as encryption algorithms change.

Field implications for practitioners

Access control systems — Smart locks, controllers, and credential readers often rely on embedded encryption for authentication. As certificates shorten and quantum safe algorithms emerge, crypto agile systems will allow secure updates over the air, maintaining site access continuity without manual intervention or downtime.

Video surveillance — Network cameras and recorders frequently use TLS or HTTPS for streaming and command control. Crypto agility ensures that camera fleets can transition to quantum safe encryption without losing connectivity, protecting against interception or tampering that could compromise footage integrity.

IoT and OT deployments — Industrial controllers, sensors, and gateways in facilities and smart buildings often depend on outdated or hard coded cryptography. Quantum safe readiness enables remote updates and hybrid encryption that secure operations without physically replacing devices across multiple facilities.

Operational continuity — Security systems are now part of the same digital fabric as enterprise IT. Crypto agility is not only a cybersecurity concern, it is a business continuity imperative. Automated certificate management and modular cryptographic design reduce the risk of outages, false alarms, or access lockouts that could disrupt daily operations or emergency response.

The agility gap

According to the Sectigo report, 96% of organizations expressed concern about the impact of shorter SSL/TLS certificate lifecycles on their business, and 90% acknowledged that preparing for post-quantum cryptography overlaps directly with certificate management workloads.

Few have an integrated strategy to address both.

This convergence of certificate renewal, device management and post quantum readiness creates an inflection point for security integrators and technology partners. Those who act now will become indispensable to enterprise clients facing compliance and continuity mandates.

Strategic imperatives for security leaders

To stay ahead of the curve:

• Automate certificate management to reduce manual renewals and prevent operational disruptions.
  
  
• Deploy hybrid cryptography that combines classical and post quantum algorithms to ensure seamless transitions.
  
  
• Adopt modular system architecture so products and integrations can evolve as encryption standards change.
  
  
• Prioritize supplier transparency by partnering with vendors who support crypto agility by design.

The post quantum era will redefine both physical and digital security. Integrators and manufacturers who build for crypto agility today will lead the market tomorrow, securing clients’ assets, data and operations through a period of cryptographic transformation.

The key question is no longer whether quantum computing will disrupt encryption, it is whether your systems will still function securely when it does. The countdown has already begun, and the industry’s response will determine its resilience for the next generation.