From Classical to Quantum-Safe: Launching the PQS Cybersecurity Maturity & Benchmarking Toolkit
Introduction – Why this matters now
The dawn of practical quantum computing isn’t a distant science-fiction scenario — it’s a strategic challenge for today’s enterprises. The strength of prevalent cryptographic schemes (RSA, ECC, AES) was not designed against adversaries wielding large-scale quantum machines. As quantum capabilities accelerate, the concept of “harvest-now, decrypt-later” becomes a tangible threat.
Yet organisations face a paradox: While quantum risk is real and urgent, there is no unified, industry-wide standard for measuring organisational readiness for post-quantum security (PQS). How do you know if you are prepared? How do you benchmark your maturity? How do you prioritise what to fix first?
Our Answer: A Control-Based PQC Maturity Model
To address this gap, we developed the PQS Cybersecurity Maturity & Benchmarking Toolkit. Unlike frameworks built on existing standards alone, this toolkit is expressly designed to map existing controls (from ISO/IEC, NIST, PCI, Cloud Controls) to the emerging domain of PQS. It offers a pragmatic path to:
• Assess where you stand today across 10 core domains — including Application Security, Encryption Management, Key Management, Operational Resilience, Supply Chain and Threat & Vulnerability Management. • Benchmark your performance relative to peer organisations, sectors and recognised best-practice, even without a formal PQS standard yet in place. • Build a roadmap for migrating to quantum-resilient cryptography and hybrid models, aligned to upcoming NIST/ETSI algorithm milestones and vendor readiness timelines. • Demonstrate assurance to boards, regulators and clients that your cryptographic strategy is forward-looking, measurable and aligned with industry standards.
How It Works: Controls Mapped, Domains Covered
Because no dedicated PQS standard yet exists, our model draws from established frameworks: ISO/IEC 27001:2022, NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5, NIST CSF v2.0, PCI DSS v4.0, ISF SoGP 2022, the Cloud Controls Matrix (v4.0.13), ENX ISA v6.0, NCSC guidance and the 2017 Trust Services Criteria. We’ve mapped these controls into our 10 Domains, then tailored them for PQS readiness — from algorithm lifecycle and crypto-agility to vendor supply-chain dependencies and post-quantum testing.
Benefits & Outcomes for Your Organisation
Clarity. You’ll know precisely which controls need work, where your cryptographic maturity stands, and what quantum readiness means in practice.
Confidence. With a structured maturity model, you shift from reactive scrambling to proactive readiness — embedding PQS into your strategic risk and security architecture.
Comparability. Benchmarking your maturity allows you to see how you stack up against industry peers, use sector averages as targets, and articulate your position externally (to clients, regulators, insurers).
Compliance Alignment. Integrating PQS into your existing risk management, cryptography governance, and control frameworks ensures you’re not creating a separate silo — you’re strengthening the security fabric you already have.
Crypto-Agility. The model emphasises algorithm lifecycle, crypto-agile design, modular libraries and hybrid cryptography — all critical to surviving the transition to quantum-safe algorithms.
Strategic Resilience. Ultimately, you protect your sensitive data, cryptographic infrastructure and enterprise trust. The organisations that prepare now gain advantage; those that wait risk decaying trust and exposed assets.
What You Get
• A control-based maturity model with step-by-step maturity transitions (0 to 5) for each of 10 domains. • Assessment tools and scoring worksheets to evaluate your maturity, identify gaps and prioritise improvement projects. • Benchmarking data and peer comparisons to help set realistic targets and track improvement. • A migration roadmap template aligned to key PQS milestones (e.g., discovery by 2028, partial migration by 2031, full migration by 2035). • Supporting guidance on best-practice for cryptography, crypto-agility, vendor management and quantum-resilience.
Why Launch Now?
The shift to quantum-safe cryptography isn’t just a technical challenge — it’s a business imperative. Enterprises that postpone PQS planning risk falling behind, exposing long-lived data, regulatory obligations and supplier contracts. Starting early allows you to align your cryptography strategy with digital transformation, cloud migration and supply-chain resilience.
Next Steps
At Burning Tree, we help organisations turn complex security challenges into clear, actionable strategies. From assessing cyber maturity to implementing post-quantum resilience and identity solutions, our experts work alongside you to strengthen defences and build lasting confidence in your security posture.
