Quantum Technologies Are to Change the IT-Market

Dr. Stanislav Malinskiy, President of the AQCMS, Head of the Expert Council on the Issues of Information Safety, answers the questions of the Information Agency <Business Inform>

1. What lies at the core of quantum technologies? Why does the Expert Council at AQCMS on the Issues of Information Security pay ever-growing attention towards these technologies?

Quantum Technology is a perspective field of physics specializing in the study of quantum mechanics and innovation development based on a quantum, an indivisible particle of an atom or a photon. Without going much into the technical details of quantum computing, one can note the colossal speed-performance of quantum computers. Already in 2019, Google Sycamore quantum computer showed during tests the performance 158 million times higher than that of the speediest supercomputer of the time, IBM Summit (OLCF-4). During the last 6 years, quantum computers have become even more perfect. In March this year, D-Wave Advantage 2 quantum computer (US) during tests solved the simulation problem which hadn’t been solved before by one of the most powerful supercomputers, namely Frontier from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL. Therefore, it is already evident today that quantum computers are able to solve many actual and practically important tasks in minutes, which would require millions of years for a conventional computer to solve.

Such performance will substantially improve the situation in different professional spheres, for instance, in information security, since many of the solutions implemented now (for example, in cryptography), computers, printers, and MFPs will become unreliable and, as a result, vulnerable.

In the report by the Global Risk Institute for 2024, a considerable possibility is emphasized of the cybersecurity risks emerging by 2034. Almost a third of experts surveyed evaluate the possibility of the cryptographic algorithms used now being compromised by 2034 by quantum computers as 50%. At the same time, the average estimate is 27%. The German information security agency BSI estimates that the quantum computers will most likely hack the recent cryptographic algorithms in a maximum of 16 years, but admits that the innovations may lead to such results already in 10 years’ time.

2. What quantum technologies have in store for the office printing industry? Would it be progress with new possibilities or rather new issues and threats?

The emergence of quantum computers and quantum communications will inevitably influence the office printing industry. Inevitably, the principles governing the corporate computer networks, communications, data centers, and information security will change. Computing will become faster; many tasks (optimization, simulation, etc.) will be solved by simply running over. It is necessary to note the prospects of quantum communications actively being implemented by the RZD (Russian Railways) right now. The pluses of such implementation are evident.

However, any revolutionary technologies bring new issues. The emergence of the Internet and AI has already considerably improved our lives; however, they are the “parents” of modern cybercrime. The same is quantum technologies. Quantum computers are about to break the majority of cryptographic solutions based on traditional asymmetric cryptography used now, such as cryptographic RSA algorithms, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), etc. In this way, the malefactors would get the possibility of hacking in and modifying millions of various code sequences, therefore damaging the firmware integrity. The scope of threats produced by quantum technologies is difficult to overestimate.

3. To what extent are the potential threats of quantum technologies clear to experts of OEM-companies and Russian consumers?

The experts from OEM companies do understand the potential threats of quantum technologies. Right now, the majority of OEMs are developing the new equipment with quantum-resistant cryptography inside. In my opinion the leader in this respect among the OEMs is  HP, which, in 2024, presented the first ever business-PCs with integrity of firmware protected against quantum attacks, and in March 2025 it announced the first ever printers (HP Color LaserJet Enterprise MFP 8801, Mono MFP 8601, LaserJet Pro Mono SFP 8501) with the same type of protection.

As for Russian consumers, there are already experts among them actively raising and discussing the topics related to the cybersecurity of the corporate networks of the Russian businesses, considering the potential threats brought upon us by quantum technologies. The reports heard during the Third Russian Forum “Trusted Quantum Technologies and Communications: Quantum 2025” (Moscow, January 30^th, 2025) confirmed the successful development of quantum technologies in Russia in almost all major directions of practical application: in quantum computing, communications, and security issues.

4. How real are the threats? Is it possible that they are just a “marketing” move by OEMs to force corporate buyers into shifting towards full-scale renovation of the computing and peripheral fleets?

Truly, the threats to the consumers and the market can be both real and false; that is exactly why we should start preparing ourselves to solve problems we can comprehend. There is still time for strategic planning and development of new algorithms, methods, and standards of quantum-resistant cryptography. It is necessary to note that such work is underway in several countries. The most effective in this respect is the US, where the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, released in August 2024 the new quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms, Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS), presented as industry standards. These new algorithms offer solutions suitable for general use in protocols and applications. They also supplement the existing standardized quantum-resistant hash-signatures for special uses, such as signing of the code.

Even in an economically powerful state as the US, it is understood that the work in the field of perspective protection against quantum technologies is the prerogative of the experts of the whole industry. That is why NIST has organized the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography project to unite industry and user organizations to solve the practical issues in developing and implementing quantum-resistant cryptography.

As the new threats continue to grow, one should expect the spread of false “spook-tales” from unscrupulous market players to convince the market participants of the necessity of immediate replacement of the equipment and introduction of the novel expensive solutions. It is a usual situation during the emergence of new threats. That is why it is already necessary to prepare consumers for the possible future problems, and in case of their emergence, it is necessary to turn to an expert community.

In the past, there was a model example of a false alarm in the field of quantum attacks. The false alarm sounded in April 2024 during the 5^th conference on standardization of quantum-resistant cryptography (Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Conference) in the US, which discussed the cryptographic solutions developed to confront the quantum attacks. Just before the conference, an article was published, “Quantum Algorithms for Lattice Problems”, authors published the description of the hack-algorithm for the same quantum-resistant cryptography on which the technical community spent almost a decade of work. During eight days, the cryptographers and experts in quantum computing were analyzing the article, an expert community was created in Discord, and finally, they found a critical flaw in the published algorithm. So, it was a false alarm. But similar alarms will undoubtedly sound again and again. At the same time, too many false alarms related to the breakthroughs in the field of quantum computers may lead to a feeling of self-assurance and inaction. They may force people to believe that the quantum threat is still not a big issue. Too many accidents may lead to unfounded panic, and the real threat might be ignored as just another false alarm when it finally arises.

5. To what extent can quantum technologies change the business of companies working in the office printing industry? What would you like to recommend to the Russian companies’ suppliers of printing devices and supplies?

Quantum technologies will inevitably influence the business of companies working in the office printing industry. The issue of corporate network cybersecurity has existed for a long time already, and despite numerous and successfully implemented solutions, it cannot be considered solved. Already today, the specialists, while serving the printing devices supplied to the client, should know the methods of providing information safety, realized within the printing devices. They must take care of “holes” in the firmware and software of printing devices, download and install patches on time to remove the vulnerabilities found. The quantum technologies will require from the printing devices supplier company specialists a newer knowledge both in providing quantum-resistant device security and in the field of radically new methods of malefactors using quantum technologies.

That is why the main advice for the Russian printer supplier companies is not to pretend that the threat of quantum technologies is somewhere far away and might somehow solve itself. The solution to the problem requires preparation and requires it today. Teaching company specialists the basics of quantum technologies, quantum security, quantum-resistant algorithms, and solutions that have already begun to be implemented by the OEMs into their devices is necessary today. The companies that will, in time, prepare their specialists for protection against new threats will receive the evident competitive advantage in sales and equipment maintenance. The same applies to companies engaged in printing outsourcing.

It must be noted that the solution to the problems being discussed will attract considerable additional financing towards the IT market for device fleet renewal. For instance, in July 2024, in the “Report on Post-Quantum Cryptography” by the US President’s executive office, the total cost of implementing quantum-resistant cryptography for the US priority systems from 2025 to 2035 was estimated at US$7.1 billion.

6. Where are the specialists in quantum technologies (especially in quantum security) being trained in Russia today?

Various Russian universities have trained specialists in the field of quantum technologies. In Moscow, those are: MSU (Moscow State University), MISiS (National University of Science and Technology), MTUCI (Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics), MIPT (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology), HSE University (National Research University Higher School of Economics) and others. Starting from 2025, the training of students within the profile of “Quantum Computing Systems and Networks” is performed by RUT (MIIT) (Russian University of Transport), the Department of “Computing Systems and Information Security”. It is necessary to note that each university is training specialists in the specific subfields of quantum technologies. Also, considering that RZD (Russian Railways) is the leading company in Russia in the field of development of quantum communications, RUT trains specialists exactly in the field of design and usage of communication channels protected based on quantum distribution of keys. Such a method of protecting the transmitted information allows for guaranteed data protection from being compromised and unauthorized access, even if quantum computing is being used. Quantum communications—more specifically, quantum distribution of keys—is the field of quantum technologies closest to the practical implementation. Today, Russia possesses technologies and finished certified devices that can provide the necessary level of reliability and a high level of data protection.

Dr Stanislav Malinskiy is RT Imaging World’s Regional Partner in Russia.

Malinskiy is the general director of BUSINESS-INFORM—an information agency based in Moscow—is mainly active in researching and consulting on the Russian office equipment and supplies market, and also has over 250 scientific works and articles to his name. He is the chief editor of the Russian catalogs of printers, copiers, MFPs, and supplies. For more information, please contact him at <malinskiy_stas@mail.ru>

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You can read more of Dr Malinskiy’s articles and opinions:

• Launching the Print-Rite Brand in Russia
• Russians Color and New Printing Technologies
• Remanufacturing Thrives in Russia
• The Distribution of International Brands in the Russian Market
• Environmental Test Results on Printer Cartridges Analyzed
• Russian Printing Supplies Market Update
• Russia: Dealing with Issues of Data Security in the Office
• Russian Aftermarket Opportunity Guarantees Success