AICX 2026 by ITSEC Asia: Indonesia Must Prepare for the Quantum Cybersecurity Threat Now

ITSEC Asia, a leading cybersecurity and AI company in Indonesia, brought together experts from academia, research and industry at AICX 2026 to discuss how Indonesia should prepare for quantum computing. Today’s quantum computers cannot yet break widely used RSA encryption, but organisations need to start preparing. Encrypted data collected today could become a target for decryption in the future as quantum technology advances.

This risk is known as “harvest now, decrypt later”, in which adversaries collect encrypted data today in the hope of decrypting it later. To address it, organisations need to understand the cryptographic systems they rely on, identify data that requires long-term protection and plan a transition to encryption methods designed to withstand quantum-enabled attacks.

The issue was the focus of the AICX 2026 panel session “Beyond the Cryptographic Cliff: Quantum, Cyber and The Next Defense”, held by ITSEC Asia at the Bali Beach Convention Center in Sanur, Bali. The discussion brought together perspectives from academia, research and the technology ecosystem on the cybersecurity implications of quantum computing and Indonesia’s readiness for the changes ahead.

“Preparing for the quantum threat needs to start now, rather than waiting until quantum computers can break the encryption systems we rely on. Organisations need to map their cryptographic systems, identify their most critical data and begin planning their transition to post-quantum cryptography. This migration takes time, so the earlier we prepare, the better positioned we will be to protect our digital assets. The same applies to AI: the models and data organisations are building today need protection that still holds in a quantum era,” said Marek Bialoglowy, Vice President Director/CTO and Co-Founder of ITSEC Asia.

Prof. Andriyan Bayu Suksmono, Professor at the School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), stressed the importance of preparing for the possibility that quantum technology could advance sooner than expected.

“We have to be very careful in facing this issue. Some predictions place the quantum computing breakthrough between 2030 and 2035, while others suggest it could take longer. I believe we should prepare for the earliest timeline and treat 2030 as a planning reference. AICX 2026 by ITSEC Asia is the momentum to speed up quantum computing awareness and adoption in Indonesia, because it puts academics and industry in the same room,” he said.

One approach to addressing this risk is post-quantum cryptography (PQC), which uses cryptographic methods designed to resist attacks from quantum computers. Prof. Andriyan explained that PQC algorithms can be implemented on existing devices, including mobile phones, computers and servers. Another approach is quantum key distribution (QKD), which uses quantum principles to support secure key distribution.

Dr. Mohammad Hamzah Fauzi, Head of the Quantum Physics Research Center at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), highlighted how quickly expectations around quantum technology have changed.

“In 2018, I attended a conference in Montpellier, France, where a prominent physicist was asked when we would have a useful quantum computer. His answer was, ‘Not in my lifetime.’ That prediction is clearly being challenged today, as we continue to make progress in that direction. For that progress to reach users, research centres like ours need partners from the security industry, and we are glad to have a company like ITSEC Asia willing to work on this with us,” he said.

Preparing for the quantum era also requires investment in research, education and talent development. Building expertise in this field calls for collaboration across disciplines, from physics and engineering to information security and digital systems development.

Prof. Dr. Ir. Hammam Riza, Chairman of KORIKA, Indonesia’s artificial intelligence research and innovation collaboration body, highlighted the relevance of quantum technology to the country’s future technology foundations.

“The AI roadmap does not currently cover quantum, but quantum will be part of the trust infrastructure for AI. Quantum computing is just one of the emerging technologies that Indonesia needs to master. It is encouraging to see ITSEC Asia, a company already working at the intersection of AI and security, raising the quantum question now rather than after the roadmap is finished,” he said.

For Indonesia, the challenge is to ensure that cybersecurity readiness, policy, research and talent develop alongside technological progress. Collaboration among industry, government, academia and research communities will be essential to building long-term digital resilience.

“AICX brings quantum, AI and cybersecurity into one conversation because the three will have to be secured together. We are grateful to ITB, BRIN and KORIKA for sharing their expertise, and ITSEC Asia will keep working with them to raise quantum readiness in Indonesia,” added Marek.

Through AICX 2026, ITSEC Asia is encouraging cross-sector dialogue on emerging security challenges as AI and other technologies advance. The discussion on quantum computing reinforces the importance of proactive preparation to strengthen Indonesia’s digital defences against future technological risks.