Workshops Defence Expert Cyber Response Audit

Defence Deep Dive Session

Expert Cyber Response Audit

Cyber response capabilities built for classical threats will face new failure modes as quantum computing matures. Harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) attacks are already underway, but most incident response playbooks do not account for them. This session audits your organisation's detection, response, and recovery capabilities against quantum-era threat scenarios and identifies gaps that need addressing before a cryptographically relevant quantum computer arrives.

Half day (3 hours)

In person or online

Max 30 delegates

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Workshop Description

Defence organisations face a specific quantum cyber risk: adversaries collecting encrypted traffic today for decryption once quantum computers become capable. This is not a future threat. Intelligence agencies have publicly acknowledged HNDL collection as an active operation. The question for cyber response teams is whether their detection capabilities can identify anomalous data exfiltration patterns consistent with HNDL campaigns, and whether their incident response procedures account for the delayed-impact nature of these attacks.

This audit session examines four areas of quantum-era cyber readiness: detection (can you identify HNDL exfiltration?), response (do your playbooks include quantum-era scenarios?), recovery (can you re-encrypt exposed data with PQC algorithms?), and prevention (how crypto-agile are your systems?). Participants work through a structured assessment framework calibrated to NIST CSF 2.0, NCSC CAF, and the MITRE ATT&CK framework, identifying specific gaps and producing a prioritised remediation plan.

What participants cover

HNDL threat assessment: identifying anomalous exfiltration patterns consistent with harvest-now-decrypt-later
Incident response playbook audit: adding quantum-era scenarios to existing IR procedures
Crypto-agility assessment: evaluating system readiness for algorithm substitution under operational pressure
Recovery procedure validation: re-encryption workflows for data exposed to HNDL collection
Framework alignment: NIST CSF 2.0, NCSC CAF, and MITRE ATT&CK mapping for quantum threats
Prioritised remediation planning with timeline alignment to CNSA 2.0 migration deadlines

Preliminary Agenda

Deep Dive Session structure with scheduled breaks. Content is configurable to your organisation's technical level and operational environment.

#	Session	Topics
1	Quantum-Era Cyber Threat Landscape How quantum computing changes the attack surface for defence	HNDL as an active intelligence operation: public acknowledgements and collection indicators Quantum-accelerated attacks: Grover search impact on symmetric keys and hash functions Timeline alignment: when current encrypted traffic becomes vulnerable under realistic CRQC projections
2	Detection and Response Capability Audit Assessing your readiness for quantum-era incidents	HNDL detection: network traffic analysis for anomalous bulk data exfiltration patterns IR playbook review: quantum-era scenario additions to NIST SP 800-61 based procedures SOC capability gaps: what your SIEM and EDR tools will and will not catch in HNDL campaigns MITRE ATT&CK mapping: quantum-relevant additions to Collection, Exfiltration, and Impact tactics
Break, after 60 min
3	Crypto-Agility and Recovery Assessment Can your systems switch algorithms under pressure?	Crypto-agility audit: TLS configurations, certificate chains, VPN tunnels, and code signing pipelines Recovery planning: re-encryption workflows for data already exposed to HNDL collection Testing methodology: tabletop exercises for quantum-era incident scenarios
4	Remediation Planning and Next Steps Prioritised actions for your organisation	Gap prioritisation: critical, major, and advisory findings with CNSA 2.0 timeline alignment Remediation roadmap: detection improvements, playbook updates, and crypto-agility milestones

Designed and Delivered By

Workshops are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with sector specialists. All facilitators have direct experience in both quantum technologies and defence systems.

QSECDEF brings world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our advisory membership spans 600+ organisations and 1,200+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.

Defence workshops are co-delivered with sector specialists who bring direct operational experience in defence organisations. This ensures workshop content is grounded in regulatory, operational, and technical realities specific to the sector.

Commission This Workshop

Sessions are configured around your organisation's technical level, operational environment, and regulatory jurisdiction. Get in touch to discuss requirements and schedule a date.

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