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Evidence signature
Public signals bind to governed proof.
No customer data.
QScout proof sequence. Evidence Handshake. public-to-private proof path. No customer data.
Executive Field Book / 2026 Edition
From theory to measurable control.
Post-quantum cryptography is no longer a research question. Federal mandates, standards bodies, and procurement frameworks have converged on a single conclusion: organizations that depend on public-key cryptography must begin migration now, or accept unquantified risk to every system that stores, transmits, or signs sensitive data.
The path from mandate to operating control follows three steps: Inventory every cryptographic dependency across the enterprise, Validate each dependency against current and emerging threat models, and Migrate to quantum-resistant alternatives on a risk-prioritized schedule.
This is a continuous control loop, not a one-time project. Cryptographic posture must be measured, reported, and improved continuously as algorithms are deprecated, new threat intelligence emerges, and compliance frameworks tighten.
The quantum risk to any given system is a function of two variables: how exposed its cryptographic surface is today, and how long the data it protects must remain confidential. Systems with high exposure and long shelf life — classified records, financial instruments, healthcare data — face the most urgent migration pressure.
Low Exposure
Short Shelf Life
Monitor
High Exposure
Short Shelf Life
Plan
Low Exposure
Long Shelf Life
Prioritize
High Exposure
Long Shelf Life
Migrate Now
Michele Mosca's inequality frames the urgency precisely. If X (the time a secret must remain secure) plus Y (the time required to migrate the system) exceeds Z (the time until a cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer exists), then the data is already at risk. Harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks make this inequality actionable today, not at some future date when quantum hardware matures.
Find. Prove. Fix.
The Qtonic Quantum Suite is a four-stage operating model for post-quantum readiness. Each product addresses a distinct phase of the migration lifecycle, from initial discovery through independent validation. The suite is designed to work together or independently, integrating with existing GRC, SOC, and procurement workflows.
Find
External quantum risk snapshot. Public-domain scan delivers a buyer-readable executive signal with severity profile, HNDL indicator, and methodology-backed evidence.
Prove
Controlled quantum validation engine. Multi-provider exploit harnesses, red/blue/arbiter scoring, and a signed proof artifact with $2M challenge diligence.
Fix
Migration governance engine. Five workstreams, trigger-based escalation, and a governance board that tracks every dependency from measured exposure to validated migration.
Validate
Independent PQC solution evaluation. 200+ implementations scored across 10 dimensions with provenance tags, continuous testing, and no paid inclusion.
QScout turns a public domain into an executive signal.
QScout is the entry point of the Qtonic Quantum Suite. It takes a single public domain and produces a buyer-readable executive snapshot: a letter grade, severity profile, HNDL exposure signal, and a clear decision on whether deeper investigation is warranted. No agent installation. No network access. No credentials.
The QScout approved-scope public intake is the default delivery lane. It scans externally visible cryptographic surfaces — TLS configuration, certificate chains, key exchange parameters, cipher suite negotiation — and maps each finding to a scored check family with methodology citations.
QScout public intake
Requester-verified website snapshot from authorized public surface. Buyer-readable executive signal.
Surface/Silver/Gold
Governed follow-on paths with approved scope, credentials, privileged access, CBOM, and evidence depth as authorized.
Pulse Continuous
Continuous monitoring with drift detection, alerting, and trend reporting. Integrates with SOC and GRC workflows.
The QScout approved-scope signal operates entirely on publicly available information. It connects only to the publicly advertised TLS endpoints of the target domain. No authentication credentials are used. No internal network access is required. No agent or software is installed on the target. The scan is equivalent to what any browser or automated client would observe when connecting to the domain. This model keeps the snapshot to publicly observable information — no credentials, no internal access, and nothing installed on the target — while delivery remains gated by requester verification and authorized public scope, with deeper assessment only under a governed engagement.
Executive Grade
A single letter grade (A through F) summarizing externally visible cryptographic posture.
HNDL Signal
Harvest-now-decrypt-later exposure indicator based on observed key exchange and cipher suite configuration.
Severity Profile
Distribution of findings across Critical, High, Medium, Low, and Informational severity bands.
Methodology Notes
Per-finding methodology citations linking each observation to its scoring rationale and check family.
CBOM Handoff
Cryptographic Bill of Materials structured for downstream QStrike validation or third-party integration.
Decision Signal
Clear recommendation on whether deeper investigation is warranted, with supporting evidence summary.
Public Signal
TLS configuration, certificate chain, key exchange, and cipher suite analysis from public-facing endpoints.
Protocol Analysis
Deep inspection of negotiated protocol parameters, extension support, and session configuration.
Cryptographic Mapping
Algorithm inventory mapped to NIST PQC standards with gap analysis and migration priority.
CBOM Handoff
Structured output artifact for governance review, QStrike validation, or third-party tooling integration.
Every QScout output is designed to survive handoff to downstream systems and stakeholders. The executive grade and severity profile are formatted for board-level reporting. The CBOM is structured for ingestion by QStrike, GRC platforms, and third-party vulnerability management tools. Methodology notes provide the audit trail required for compliance documentation. The decision signal gives the CISO a defensible recommendation, not a data dump.
QStrike validates the path, not just the weakness.
QStrike is a controlled forward-threat validation engine. Where QScout identifies exposure, QStrike tests whether that exposure can become a defensible attack path under approved scope. The public demonstration uses provider-calibrated modeled runtime and does not contact live quantum hardware; qualifying engagements can add governed provider-aligned validation under signed authorization. QStrike produces evidence packages that document the method, controls, and proof limits.
Provider Profiles
Provider-aligned workflows for 6 commercial execution platforms across 4 modalities.
Exploit Harnesses
Target-specific exploit constructions mapped to the cryptographic surface identified by QScout.
Red/Blue Team
Adversarial red team attempts exploitation. Blue team validates defensive posture. Independent arbiter scores.
Arbiter Scoring
Confidence-weighted severity scoring with full evidence chain and reproducibility documentation.
IBM Quantum
Superconducting
IonQ
Trapped Ion
Quantinuum
Trapped Ion
Rigetti
Superconducting
D-Wave
Quantum Annealing
QuEra
Neutral Atom
Evidence
Raw observations from exploit-harness execution against provider-calibrated modeled profiles or governed engagement-specific validation lanes.
Controlled Validation
Reproducible test execution with documented parameters, environmental conditions, and control baselines.
Signed Proof
Cryptographically signed artifact (ECDSA-P256-SHA256 today; ML-DSA-65 migration in flight) documenting the complete evidence chain and scoring rationale.
Customer Verification
Independent verification path allowing the customer to validate proof integrity without trusting the issuer.
QStrike operates a three-role adversarial model: Red Team constructs and executes exploit harnesses. Blue Team validates defensive controls and identifies false positives. Arbiter independently scores each finding with confidence-weighted severity, resolving disagreements between red and blue.
Every QStrike finding carries a confidence-weighted severity score. The confidence weight reflects the reproducibility of the exploit, the calibration quality of the quantum hardware profile used, and the independence of the arbiter's assessment.
$2M Challenge Diligence
The $2M challenge applies only to qualifying QStrike engagements under the published challenge terms. If the qualifying engagement closes with no High or Critical findings and independent review later proves one existed in scope, Qtonic Quantum provides the stated challenge remedy under those terms. QScout is not covered by the $2M challenge.
QSolve turns measured exposure into migration discipline.
QSolve is the migration governance engine of the Qtonic Quantum Suite. It takes the measured exposure from QScout and the validated findings from QStrike and translates them into a structured migration program with clear ownership, dependencies, decision gates, and status tracking.
The governance board tracks every migration action across five dimensions: Owner (who is accountable), Risk (what is the exposure if migration is delayed), Dependency (what must happen first), Decision (what approval is required), and Status (current state of the migration action).
| Owner | Risk | Dependency | Decision | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISO | Critical | HSM upgrade | Board approval | In Progress |
| VP Engineering | High | Library update | Tech lead sign-off | Planned |
| Compliance Lead | Medium | Audit completion | GRC review | Queued |
Critical Finding
QStrike validates a critical-severity quantum vulnerability with high confidence.
Compliance Deadline
A regulatory or mandate deadline requires migration action within a defined window.
Vendor Deprecation
A key vendor announces deprecation of a cryptographic primitive in active use.
Board Directive
The governance board or CISO issues a directive to begin migration for a specific system.
Drift Detection
QScout Pulse continuous monitoring detects regression in cryptographic posture.
Security
Vulnerability remediation, cryptographic library upgrades, and key rotation across affected systems.
Infrastructure
Network configuration, certificate management, and HSM migration for quantum-resistant key material.
Engineering
Application-layer changes, protocol upgrades, and integration testing for PQC algorithm support.
Compliance
Documentation, audit trail generation, and regulatory reporting for NIST, CNSA 2.0, and sector-specific frameworks.
Procurement
Vendor assessment, contract review, and supply-chain validation for PQC-ready components and services.
A scoring rubric built for the buyer's question.
Qtonic Quantum Lab is an independent PQC solution evaluation platform. It scores post-quantum cryptography implementations across a published 10-dimension rubric with no paid inclusion, no vendor influence on rankings, and continuous re-testing against evolving threat models and standards.
200+
Implementations Scored
12
Categories
10
Scoring Dimensions
24/7
Continuous Testing
Algorithm Strength
Implementation Maturity
Performance Profile
Standards Compliance
Interoperability
Side-Channel Resistance
Key Management
Migration Readiness
Vendor Stability
Documentation Quality
Verified
Score derived from direct testing against vendor-supplied implementation with documented methodology.
Contested
Score challenged by vendor or third party. Under review with documented dispute timeline.
Inferred
Score derived from public documentation, published benchmarks, or third-party analysis. Not directly tested.
Degraded
Previously verified score degraded due to new vulnerability disclosure, vendor instability, or failed re-test.
PQC-KEM-073
Illustrative ML-KEM implementation scorecard
Mission-tested leadership. Independent scoring.
Leadership team drawn from defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure backgrounds with direct experience in cryptographic operations, threat analysis, and secure system design.
Q-Lab scoring methodology is published, vendor-independent, and subject to challenge review. No paid inclusion. No vendor influence on rankings. Expert network provides independent validation.
Qtonic Quantum operates as a cryptographic readiness control plane — not a replacement for existing GRC, SOC, network, or procurement tooling. Outputs are designed for integration, not displacement.
Alexandra Chen
VP, Threat Intelligence
Former intelligence community. Quantum threat modeling and adversarial analysis.
Marcus Webb
VP, Engineering
Distributed systems, cryptographic protocol implementation, and secure architecture.
Dr. Sarah Okonkwo
Chief Scientist
Post-quantum cryptography research. NIST PQC evaluation contributor.
Jessica Torres
VP, Go-to-Market
Enterprise security sales, federal procurement, and partner channel development.
David Park
VP, Product
Security product management, compliance automation, and GRC integration.
The Qtonic Quantum expert network provides independent domain expertise across six areas critical to PQC evaluation and migration. Expert network members are independent of the scoring team and provide review, challenge, and validation services.
Lattice-Based Cryptography
Code-Based Cryptography
Hash-Based Signatures
Quantum Computing Hardware
Federal Compliance (FedRAMP, CMMC)
Critical Infrastructure Security
Qtonic Quantum operates as a cryptographic readiness control plane. It does not replace existing GRC, SOC, network, or procurement tooling. Instead, it feeds structured, scored, and signed outputs into those systems.
Feeds into
GRC Platforms
Feeds into
SOC/SIEM
Feeds into
Network Infrastructure
Feeds into
Procurement/Supply Chain
Mandates + Defensible Federal Lifecycle
Federal agencies operate under the most explicit mandate framework for post-quantum migration. OMB M-23-02 requires cryptographic inventory. CNSA 2.0 sets algorithm-specific deadlines. NIST FIPS 203/204/205 define the approved replacements. The compliance path is clear; the execution challenge is scale, legacy dependency, and cross-agency coordination.
QScout provides the inventory baseline. QStrike validates the exposure claims. QSolve structures the migration program against the federal timeline. Q-Lab evaluates the PQC solutions the agency is considering for deployment.
Settlement, KYC, and Code Signing
Financial institutions face quantum risk across three critical surfaces: real-time settlement systems that depend on cryptographic integrity, KYC and identity verification systems that rely on digital signatures, and code-signing infrastructure that validates software supply chain integrity.
The shelf life of financial data — transaction records, customer identity, audit trails — extends well beyond any reasonable estimate of quantum computing timelines. Harvest-now-decrypt-later is not theoretical for this sector; it is the operating assumption for any well-resourced adversary.
Patient Records, Connected Devices, SCADA, Energy
Healthcare organizations manage some of the longest-lived sensitive data in any sector. Patient records must remain confidential for decades. Connected medical devices often run cryptographic implementations that cannot be easily upgraded. Operational technology environments — SCADA systems, energy infrastructure, industrial control — face the additional challenge of air-gapped or semi-connected systems where cryptographic migration requires physical intervention.
The combination of long data shelf life, constrained upgrade paths, and safety-critical operating environments makes healthcare and OT among the highest-priority sectors for PQC migration planning.
You need a fast, external baseline. You want to understand your publicly visible cryptographic posture before committing to a deeper engagement.
You have identified specific cryptographic targets and need validated proof of exploitability under quantum computing conditions.
You have validated findings and need to structure a migration program with clear ownership, dependencies, and governance.
Do we know which cryptographic algorithms are in use across our infrastructure?
Have we assessed our exposure to harvest-now-decrypt-later attacks?
Do we have a cryptographic bill of materials for critical systems?
Have we validated our vendors’ PQC migration readiness?
Is our key management infrastructure compatible with PQC algorithms?
Do we have a migration timeline aligned with CNSA 2.0 deadlines?
Have we tested PQC algorithm performance in our environment?
Do we have board-level reporting on cryptographic risk?
Have we assessed our compliance obligations for PQC migration?
Do we have a procurement framework for PQC-ready products?
30 Days
60 Days
90 Days
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "FIPS 203: Module-Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism Standard." August 2024.
https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/203/finalNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "FIPS 204: Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard." August 2024.
https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/204/finalNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). "FIPS 205: Stateless Hash-Based Digital Signature Standard." August 2024.
https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/205/finalNational Security Agency (NSA). "Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite 2.0." September 2022.
https://media.defense.gov/2022/Sep/07/2003071836/-1/-1/0/CSI_CNSA_2.0_FAQ_.PDFOffice of Management and Budget (OMB). "M-23-02: Migrating to Post-Quantum Cryptography." November 2022.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/M-23-02-M-Memo-on-Migrating-to-Post-Quantum-Cryptography.pdfMosca, Michele. "Cybersecurity in an Era with Quantum Computers: Will We Be Ready?" IEEE Security & Privacy, vol. 16, no. 5, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1109/MSP.2018.3761723Chen, Lily et al. "Report on Post-Quantum Cryptography." NIST IR 8105. April 2016.
https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/ir/8105/finalCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). "Post-Quantum Cryptography Initiative." 2023.
https://www.cisa.gov/quantumNational Security Memorandum NSM-10. "Promoting United States Leadership in Quantum Computing While Mitigating Risks to Vulnerable Cryptographic Systems." May 2022.
https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/04/national-security-memorandum-on-promoting-united-states-leadership-in-quantum-computing-while-mitigating-risks-to-vulnerable-cryptographic-systems/European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA). "Post-Quantum Cryptography: Current State and Quantum Mitigation." May 2021.
https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/post-quantum-cryptography-current-state-and-quantum-mitigationBernstein, Daniel J. and Tanja Lange. "Post-quantum cryptography." Nature, vol. 549, 2017.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23461Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C). "A Guide to a Quantum-Safe Organization." 2023.
https://quantumconsortium.org/guide-quantum-safe/Department of Homeland Security (DHS). "Post-Quantum Cryptography: Frequently Asked Questions." 2022.
https://www.dhs.gov/quantumInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO). "ISO/IEC 18033: Encryption Algorithms." Ongoing revision for PQC inclusion.
https://www.iso.org/standard/54531.html| Claim | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| QScout public intake requires no credentials or agent installation | Verified | Architecture documentation + independent test |
| QStrike public evidence uses provider-calibrated modeled runtime profiles | Verified | Public integrity documentation; no live quantum hardware contact in the browser demonstration |
| Q-Lab scores 200+ implementations | Verified | Published floor; live registry ≥ 200, see /lab |
| Q-Lab has no paid inclusion or vendor influence | Verified | Published methodology + challenge review process |
| QStrike proof artifacts are cryptographically signed (ECDSA-P256-SHA256 today; ML-DSA-65 migration in flight) | Verified | Signature verification path documented |
| $2M challenge diligence applies only to qualifying QStrike engagements | Verified | Published challenge terms and engagement qualification language |
| CNSA 2.0 Phase 1 deadline is January 2027 | Verified | NSA CNSA 2.0 FAQ, September 2022 |
| FIPS 203, 204, 205 published August 2024 | Verified | NIST publications archive |
{
"version": "1.0",
"type": "qstrike-proof",
"id": "QS-2026-0142",
"timestamp": "2026-04-15T14:32:00Z",
"target": {
"domain": "example.com",
"protocol": "TLS 1.2",
"key_exchange": "ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384",
"key_size": 2048
},
"finding": {
"severity": "HIGH",
"confidence": 0.94,
"category": "Key Exchange Vulnerability",
"description": "RSA-2048 key exchange vulnerable to quantum factoring under projected hardware capabilities within 10-year shelf life.",
"cvss_quantum": 8.1
},
"validation": {
"provider_profile": "IBM Quantum Eagle (127-qubit)",
"harness_id": "HRN-RSA-2048-FACTOR-v3",
"red_team_result": "EXPLOITABLE",
"blue_team_result": "NO_MITIGATION",
"arbiter_decision": "CONFIRMED"
},
"signature": {
"algorithm": "ECDSA-P256-SHA256",
"signer": "Qtonic Quantum Proof Authority",
"signature": "base64:...[truncated]..."
}
}TLS Version
Protocol version negotiation and minimum version enforcement.
Certificate Chain
Chain completeness, validity, and trust anchor verification.
Key Exchange
Key exchange algorithm strength and PQC readiness.
Cipher Suite
Symmetric cipher selection, mode of operation, and key length.
Signature Algorithm
Certificate and handshake signature algorithm strength.
HSTS Configuration
HTTP Strict Transport Security header presence and configuration.
Certificate Transparency
CT log inclusion and SCT presence verification.
OCSP Stapling
Online Certificate Status Protocol stapling support.
Protocol Extensions
TLS extension support and configuration analysis.
Session Configuration
Session ticket, resumption, and 0-RTT configuration.
HNDL Exposure
Harvest-now-decrypt-later risk based on key exchange and data classification.
Algorithm Deprecation
Use of deprecated or soon-to-be-deprecated cryptographic algorithms.
Key Length
Asymmetric and symmetric key length adequacy against quantum threat models.
PQC Readiness
Support for or compatibility with NIST PQC standard algorithms.
Configuration Hygiene
Overall TLS configuration best-practice adherence.
Compliance
Government Registration
Data Handling
Key Custody
Contracts
Vulnerability Disclosure
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