One thing I’ve noticed in multiple conversations about “quantum” is that people often confuse post-quantum cryptography with quantum computing. They are somewhat related, but they are not the same thing at all.

Post-quantum cryptography, or PQC, is cybersecurity. It refers to cryptographic algorithms that run on today’s traditional computers but are designed to resist attacks from future quantum computers.

Quantum computing, on the other hand, is a much broader technology. It has the potential to open new possibilities in fields like physics, chemistry, optimization, materials science, and more.

So why the confusion? Probably because of the word “quantum.” But PQC is not “cryptography running on a quantum computer.” It is classical cryptography built for a world where quantum computers may eventually be powerful enough to break some of today’s widely used public-key algorithms.

Simply put, PQC is not quantum computing, and it does not rely on magical effects of quantum mechanics. PQC algorithms run on classical computers and are designed to protect us from the threat that future quantum computers may pose to today’s widely used cryptography.