Built for Decades, Broken in Minutes: Operational Technology in a Post‑Quantum Era

Advances in quantum computing are expected to render many widely used cryptographic algorithms obsolete—potentially exposing sensitive data and critical systems that rely on them today. For organizations operating Operational Technology (OT), this risk is amplified: systems often remain in service for decades, have limited processing capacity, and cannot be easily upgraded or replaced.

This creates a pressing challenge—how do you secure systems built for the past against threats from the future?

This session will explore the emerging impact of quantum computing on OT environments and provide a practical, risk based framework to help organizations begin preparing today. It will introduce key concepts such as post quantum cryptography (PQC) and “harvest now, decrypt later,” highlighting why action is needed well before quantum computing becomes mainstream.

Designed for engineers, security professionals, and technology leaders, this session bridges strategy and implementation—focusing on what can realistically be done in complex, resource constrained OT environments.

Participants will learn how to:

• Develop and maintain a cryptographic bill of materials (CBOM) for OT systems
• Assess risks to confidentiality, integrity, availability, and safety in a post quantum context
• Prioritize systems for transition based on lifecycle, criticality, and operational constraints
• Monitor emerging standards, including NIST PQC developments
• Engage vendors to ensure alignment with post quantum roadmaps and crypto agility

Attendees will leave with actionable steps to future proof OT systems—helping avoid costly, high risk upgrades and ensuring resilience in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

You may be eligible for 1 CPD hour.

• Member Price: $0.00 (Please log in to see Member pricing. Price will automatically update in your cart)

Session Speaker

John Wang, P.Eng., MBA, CISSP, CISA, CRISC

John Wang, P.Eng., MBA, CISSP, CISA, CRISC is a cybersecurity leader and educator with over 25 years of experience in information security governance, risk management, and critical infrastructure protection. He is a Professor at George Brown Polytechnic and the owner of Intelligent Connections Inc., where he advises organizations across the public and private sectors on security strategy, threat risk assessments, and operational resilience.

John has led security and risk initiatives for organizations including the City of Toronto, Toronto Community Housing, Canadian Tire, and multiple Ontario government ministries. He has extensive experience securing systems in highly regulated and safety critical environments, including oversight of cybersecurity for Toronto’s municipal elections.

An active contributor to the engineering and cybersecurity community, John is involved in ISO/IEC cybersecurity standards work and regularly speaks and publishes on emerging topics such as IT/OT convergence and quantum risk.