The Department of War (DOW) has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking software-only encryption technology to protect its military systems as it prepares for post-quantum cryptography (PQC), a new generation of encryption designed to withstand future quantum computers, according to a MeriTalk report. 

Posted August 27, with industry responses due September 27, the RFI supports DOW’s goal of completing its PQC migration by December 31, 2029, without requiring a full hardware overhaul.

The RFI comes as part of the DOW’s broader post-quantum strategy, which requires all department systems to support PQC by December 31, 2030, and use PQC by December 31, 2031, unless otherwise specified.

The DOW’s software-only approach shows how protecting long-lived enterprise data against emerging threats can become an infrastructure problem. Organizations need to strengthen protection without rebuilding the systems that store, process, and move their data.

Cryptographic Control Becomes a Governance Question

For chief data officers (CDOs), retaining control over cryptographic keys is a data governance issue, not just a security one, especially as sensitive information moves across cloud providers and external platforms. 

The post-quantum transition will push CDOs to know where their critical data lives and whether their infrastructure can adopt stronger cryptography without disrupting operations.