Quantum ready: A practical guide to enabling PQC with F5

FIPS 203 (ML-KEM, based on Kyber) is the first U.S. National Institute of Technology (NIST) approved post-quantum algorithm for public key encryption and TLS key exchange. Without PQC, long-lived data in transit can be collected now and decrypted later. That means APIs, customer portals, and sensitive B2B exchanges are at risk even before large-scale quantum computers exist.

This makes hybrid PQC a priority today-especially for systems that protect personally identifiable information, payment details, or proprietary data.

Think of hybrid PQC like wearing both a seatbelt and an airbag. Today's classical cryptography (like RSA or ECC) is still strong against everyday attackers, but quantum computers will eventually bypass it. By combining traditional methods with post-quantum algorithms in the same handshake, systems get two layers of protection: the proven security of what we use today, plus the quantum-resistant layer that protects against tomorrow's threats.

From a practical standpoint, hybrid PQC means your browser, app, or API connection establishes keys using both an established algorithm (say X25519) and a PQC algorithm (like ML-KEM). If either one holds up, your data remains safe. This is important right now because we're in a transition period: the old methods are widely deployed and efficient, while the new ones are still being tested, standardized, and rolled out. Hybrid ensures nothing breaks for compatibility, while still closing the "harvest now, decrypt later" loophole.

That's why regulators and standards bodies like NIST recommend hybrid adoption: it's a practical way to protect sensitive data flows today, while giving organizations time to test, tune, and prepare for a full post-quantum future.