Google Cloud outlines PQC roadmap, targets full quantum readiness by 2029

Google Cloud API endpoints (google.com, *.googleapis.com) now offer quantum-safe key exchange using NIST-standardized ML-KEM in hybrid mode. Application and proxy load balancers support quantum-safe hybrid key exchange (X25519MLKEM768) for TLS 1.3 on an opt-in basis, and NIST standardized PQC algorithms (ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA) for encryption and signing keys are now generally available in Cloud KMS.

Google Cloud has shared its updated roadmap to migrate all services to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) by 2029. This initiative aims to protect cloud infrastructure and customer data against potential decryption by future cryptographically-relevant quantum computers.

The PQC migration strategy is based on the Google Quantum Threat Model, prioritizing protection across three key domains: mitigating Store Now, Decrypt Later (SNDL) risks, ensuring integrity against forgery, and enhancing foundational capabilities for cryptographic agility. This strategy also extends to Sovereign Cloud initiatives and AI services.

Google Cloud is targeting 2027 to implement changes for SNDL mitigation across customer workloads, administrator and developer flows, and data pipelines. This includes securing customer workloads with quantum-confidential TLS 1.3 handshakes, protecting admin pathways like Cloud VPN and Interconnect, and safeguarding data transfers for analytics and storage platforms.

Plans are underway to quantum-proof digital signatures and attestations to prevent forgery, focusing on securing the software supply chain with quantum-resistant attestations for services like Binary Authorization and Cloud Build. Google Cloud is also transitioning its public key infrastructure (PKI), including internal and external certificate authorities, to support ML-DSA and SLH-DSA certificates.