Cisco Network Secured Against Quantum Threats in Under an Hour

A US federal agency has successfully secured its network against evolving quantum threats by deploying full post-quantum cryptography in under an hour per site, a feat previously considered unattainable without extensive infrastructure changes.

The agency integrated Phio TX-EM cryptographic management software with existing Cisco hardware, achieving zero downtime during algorithm updates as part of an ongoing Cisco SD-WAN upgrade. This approach highlights a path toward adaptable, audit-ready quantum security without costly hardware replacements.

Phio TX-EM operates as a containerized software platform within the Cisco router's device boundary, delivering strong symmetric keys independently from the data plane. This allowed for a phased rollout that eases compliance with Executive Order 14412, providing an expedited path to audit-ready crypto-agility.