apexanalytix has released a new report warning that while quantum computing may still be emerging, the decisions organizations make today will determine their exposure to future threats.
The report, titled The Quantum Paradox: Separating Hype From Reality for Supply Chain Leaders, finds that procurement leaders are accountable for quantum risk when they select and implement the new generation of AI-assisted sourcing and supplier management solutions.
Many organizations rely on current encryption standards to protect their most sensitive data: supplier invoices and payment information, commercial contracts and pricing terms, banking and account details, and compliance and regulatory records. Yet, according to security agencies including the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), CISA, and the NSA, adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data now with the intent to decrypt it later, once quantum computing becomes powerful enough.
This strategy, known as “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later”, is actively used by nation-state and advanced threat actors, meaning data protected today with RSA or ECC could be retroactively exposed years from now, putting historical communications, financial records, and proprietary information at risk.
“The risk is not that quantum computers arrive tomorrow. The risk is that supplier data exchanged today cannot be secured retroactively, leaving procurement with avoidable cost, effort, and executive exposure,” said Akhilesh Agarwal, President – P2P Solutions & Technology at apexanalytix. “Quantum-enabled optimization and probabilistic modeling could eventually help organizations tackle some of the most complex supply chain management problems, but leaders must plan for post-quantum security now, otherwise they’ll accumulate risk that can’t be undone later.”
The report cautions that quantum computing will not compensate for poor data quality or weak supplier visibility. Organizations that invest now in clean data, strong governance, and resilient platforms will be best positioned to benefit as the technology matures.
Rather than advocating for speculative investments, The Quantum Paradox offers a practical roadmap for enterprise leaders, including conducting cryptographic inventories, updating third-party security requirements, improving supplier data foundations, and defining high-impact risk use cases that may benefit from future quantum advances.
