Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense

Post-quantum cryptography has moved past the awareness phase. The challenge now is execution. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, Jo Lintzen speaks with Aisling Dawson, Senior Analyst at ABI Research, and Itan Barmes, Chief Strategy Officer at Qiz Security, live from RSA Conference 2026. They discuss why quantum conversations are losing visibility, what’s blocking progress, and why organizations are stuck between inventory, budget constraints, and ecosystem misalignment. The discussion explores cryptographic posture management, organizational readiness, regulatory pressure, and why starting imperfectly is better than waiting for complete visibility.

Post-quantum migration appears to be a technology problem from the outside. Inside a global financial institution, it looks like a coordination challenge. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, Sarah McCarthy, Quantum Readiness Program Lead at Citi, shares how Citi's quantum readiness program has evolved since 2022. They discuss what their vendor survey is revealing about supply chain readiness, and why the first step toward quantum safety does not require a dedicated team or advanced algorithms. She also explains why migrating to PQC is fundamentally a coordination problem and what practical steps any organization can take today, regardless of size.

Post-quantum cryptography is often framed as an algorithm selection problem. Stefan Kölbl reframes it as something else entirely: a key management and lifecycle discipline challenge. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Jo Lintzen speaks with Stefan, an information security engineer at Google, about what it actually takes to migrate cryptography across complex global systems at scale. They explore why Store Now, Decrypt Later is treated as a real threat inside Google, why hybrid deployments were justified before final NIST standards, and why inventory dashboards alone won’t get organizations across the finish line. The real work, Stefan explains, lies in crypto agility, automated key rotation, lifecycle ownership, and safe-by-default developer frameworks.

Post-quantum cryptography does not fail because the math is hard. It stalls because systems are old, upgrades feel risky, and organizations struggle to explain the work in business terms. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Jo Lintzen speaks with Jan Schaumann, Chief Information Security Architect at Akamai Technologies, about how PQC migration actually unfolds inside a global platform. Jan explains why TLS 1.3 is the real prerequisite, why Akamai chose a slower, opt-in rollout, and how PQC becomes a forcing function for long-term crypto agility.

Post-quantum cryptography is not a future ambition. It is already embedded into the web’s core confidentiality protocols. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Jo Lintzen speaks with Sofia Celi, Senior Cryptography and Security Researcher at Brave, co-author of the MAYO signature scheme, and co-chair of an IETF working group driving global PQC standards. Sofia explains the two-speed reality of PQ migration: confidentiality is already deployed at scale through TLS 1.3 and hybrid KEMs, while authentication, signatures, and zero-knowledge-based identity systems remain in deep research. She shares how standards bodies are recalibrating after TLS 1.3, why multivariate signatures such as MAYO could reshape authentication, why European eID timelines miss critical cryptographic maturity gaps, and the first two steps any security team must take within the next year.

Post-quantum security will reshape every system that depends on cryptography. In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Jo Lintzen speaks with Kevin Reifsteck, Director for Critical Infrastructure Protection at Microsoft, about how governments and global enterprises can turn quantum-safe readiness from policy into practice. Kevin shares how Microsoft’s Quantum Safe Program sets clear timelines, embeds accountability across engineering teams, and helps customers prepare long before 2035. He unpacks what regulators must do to accelerate migration, how to prioritize long-lived systems, and why leadership commitment, not code alone, defines true quantum resilience.

As quantum computing accelerates, organizations can no longer treat cryptographic migration as a distant technical task. Dr Richard Searle of Fortanix explains how confidential computing and a software-first model enable enterprises to adopt post-quantum cryptography (PQC) rapidly while maintaining control, compliance, and agility. He describes how Fortanix integrates standardized PQC algorithms within trusted execution environments to protect data in use, at rest, and in motion, providing a verifiable layer of defense against quantum-era threats. Richard clarifies that crypto agility, not a one-off migration, is the real target, enabling algorithm rotation and policy enforcement as new standards evolve. He also outlines how global companies must account for regional algorithm preferences, such as those emerging in Europe and Asia, without fragmenting global operations. Through examples from finance and technology sectors, he highlights how auditability, attestation, and workload geolocation now define compliance readiness across DORA, GDPR, and CNSA 2.0 frameworks. The discussion reinforces that migration is as much about policy, inventory, and evidence as it is about cryptography itself. The lesson is direct: begin the transition now, build measurable posture, and design architectures that can adapt before regulators and attackers dictate the timeline. What You’ll Learn: How confidential computing underpins a secure execution base for PQC migration. Why crypto agility, not one-off migration, defines long-term resilience. How to manage regional algorithm differences while maintaining global compatibility. How attestation, geolocation, and immutable logs turn compliance into proof of control. The role of inventory management and performance assessment in sequencing PQC rollout. How to balance human approval with machine-based cryptographic execution through APIs. Why finance and technology are leading sectors in post-quantum adoption. Why starting now lowers cost, builds capability, and prevents a rushed, regulator-driven scramble. Dr Richard Searle is the Chief AI Officer at Fortanix, a global leader in confidential computing and data security. He leads Fortanix’s strategy at the intersection of cryptography, AI security, and post-quantum readiness, helping enterprises protect data across hybrid multi-cloud environments. With a background in systems engineering and safety-critical design, Richard brings more than two decades of experience in building secure, compliant, and resilient systems for both private and public sectors. Before becoming Chief AI Officer, Richard served as Fortanix’s Vice President of Confidential Computing and played a pivotal role in advancing the company’s confidential computing platform, which secures data in use through trusted execution environments. He has also served as the Chair of the End-User Advisory Council and General Members’ Representative to the Governing Board of the Confidential Computing Consortium under the Linux Foundation. A Doctor of Business Administration from Henley Business School, University of Reading, Richard continues to contribute to research in AI and defense security. He serves as Principal Investigator for Fortanix within the U.S. NIST AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) and the UK Integrated Quantum Network (IQN) Hub. Known for his clarity and discipline in security architecture, Richard focuses on helping global enterprises design for crypto agility, regulatory assurance, and quantum-safe innovation. Your Roadmap to Quantum Resilience [03:14] Step 1: Establish a Confidential Computing Base - Quantum resilience begins with protecting what matters most, which is “data in use.” Richard explains how trusted execution environments create an invisible shield around sensitive workloads, keeping information safe even while it is being processed. Fortanix’s software-first foundation allows this protection to extend across cloud and on-premises systems, without the delays of hardware dependencies. Establishing this base gives enterprises the confidence to deploy new algorithms, test PQC performance, and maintain control wherever their data flows. Key Question: Which of your workloads process the most sensitive data and need in-use protection today? [05:45] Step 2: Design for Crypto Agility from Day One - Every organization entering the quantum era must prepare for change. Richard highlights the need to design systems that can adapt, rotating algorithms, refreshing keys, and updating parameters through policy rather than rebuilds. This mindset transforms cryptography from a fixed asset into a flexible service that evolves alongside emerging standards. By embedding agility from the start, enterprises can move with the pace of regulation and innovation instead of reacting to it. Key Question: How easily can your teams change algorithms when new standards arrive? [09:10] Step 3: Plan for Regional Algorithm Variants - Global operations demand awareness of regional differences in cryptographic policy. While NIST drives the global baseline, Europe and Asia are advancing their own approaches, such as Classic McEliece and FrodoKEM, to strengthen local sovereignty. Fortanix addresses this diversity through a single control plane that can manage multiple algorithms while maintaining unified governance. Organizations that prepare for regional variance today will stay compliant and operationally aligned as new mandates emerge. Key Question: Are your policies ready to accommodate regional algorithm choices without breaking global consistency? [16:15] Step 4: Turn Compliance into Evidence - Compliance becomes a source of trust when it can be proven. Richard shows how attestation and workload geolocation enable enterprises to demonstrate exactly where and how data was processed. Immutable logs and signed records create a transparent audit trail, satisfying frameworks like GDPR, DORA, and CNSA 2.0. This approach shifts compliance from a reporting exercise to a living proof of security discipline and accountability. Key Question: Can you present verifiable proof of control, location, and authorization for sensitive workloads? [19:22] Step 5: Inventory, Evaluate Performance, and Sequence by Exposure - A strong migration plan begins with visibility. Richard outlines how teams can build an accurate inventory of keys, certificates, and machine identities, then analyze which are most exposed or critical to business continuity. Fortanix’s data security platform supports this assessment, enabling phased implementation that balances performance with risk. By starting with the systems that face customers and regulators, organizations gain both resilience and credibility in their transition to PQC. Key Question: Which high-exposure services in your organization should move first toward PQC? [21:01] Step 6: Govern with Humans, Execute with Machine Identities - As automation expands, clarity of control becomes vital. Richard describes how Fortanix maintains human oversight through quorum approvals while allowing machine identities to perform cryptographic operations within defined boundaries. This structure preserves accountability and enables scale, empowering secure automation for code signing, data exchange, and AI workflows. True governance lies in this balance, human intent directing machine execution through policy and precision. Key Question: Where can you introduce automation that enhances control rather than replacing it? Episode Resources Richard Searle on LinkedIn Fortanix Website Johannes Lintzen on LinkedIn PQShield Website Want exclusive insights on quantum migration? Stay ahead of the curve. Subscribe to Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube Podcasts. ✔ Get insider knowledge from leading cybersecurity experts. ✔ Learn practical steps to future-proof your organization. ✔ Stay updated on regulatory changes and industry trends. Need help subscribing? Click here for step-by-step instructions.

What if quantum computing grabs the headlines, but the real risk is complacency about cryptography? In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Johannes Lintzen welcomes Mike Silverman, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at FS-ISAC. Mike shares why treating cryptographic migrations as one-off projects leaves organisations exposed, how building inventories and risk-based models creates real readiness, and why crypto-agility, not quantum anxiety, is the foundation for long-term security. Learn how to prioritise crown-jewel systems, what timelines like 2030 and 2035 really mean, and why vendor coordination and PKI standards could decide the success of your migration.

What if quantum computing feels like a distant threat, but your timeline to prepare is already running out? In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Johannes Lintzen welcomes Adrian Neal, Senior Director and Global Lead for Post-Quantum Cryptography at Capgemini. Adrian shares the urgent realities of PQC migration, from why a three-to-five-year plan is really an eight-year journey to the performance shocks of new algorithms and the critical need for crypto-agility. Learn why apathy is the greatest risk, how regulatory pressure could unlock boardroom action, and where CISOs must start to build quantum-ready systems today.

What if quantum computing feels years away, but your migration to post-quantum cryptography needs to start today? In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Jo Lintzen welcomes Kevin Hilscher, Senior Director of Product Management at DigiCert. Kevin shares the practical realities of PQC adoption, from TLS 1.3 prerequisites and hybrid cryptography to vendor readiness and global regulatory timelines. Learn where enterprises should begin and why early discovery is critical. Expect practical steps, clear insights, and a candid call for earlier discovery, smarter planning, and quantum-ready systems.

It’s been one year since NIST finalized its post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) standards, a milestone that sparked urgency across government, industry, and security leaders. In this special episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, we revisit those early conversations about PQC migration to see how far we’ve come (and how far we still have to go). Host Johannes Lintzen is joined by experts from NIST, DHS, Cloudflare, Signal and leading hardware security companies to reflect on what’s working, what’s stalled, and why this migration can’t wait any longer.

What if the biggest threat to your cybersecurity strategy isn’t quantum computing, but humans? In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Johannes Lintzen welcomes Professor Bill Buchanan, OBE, FRSE, a global leader in applied cryptography, digital trust, and secure system design. Bill shares the origins of public key cryptography and the challenges of migrating beyond RSA and ECC. Learn why cryptographic agility is essential, where the biggest vulnerabilities lie, and how standards like FIPS 140 and TLS are laying the groundwork for a secure future. Expect blunt truths, clear insights, and an urgent call for better systems, smarter engineers, and more public understanding.

Quantum readiness isn’t about “predicting when,” it’s about “preparing now.” In this episode of Shielded: The Last Line of Cyber Defense, host Johannes Lintzen sits down with Dr. Jeremy Bradley, Principal Technical Director at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to explore the UK’s newly released guidance on migrating to post-quantum cryptography. Jeremy shares why the NCSC chose a pragmatic, timeline-driven approach, how organisations can manage legacy infrastructure without fear, and why PQC migration is a cybersecurity challenge, not just a cryptographic one.