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Jun 22, 20261
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Biden Issues Executive Order on Post-Quantum Cryptography to Protect U.S. National Security
President Biden issued Executive Order 14409 on quantum-resistant cryptography, directing federal agencies and critical infrastructure operators to transition to NIST-approved post-quantum cryptography to protect against future threats from quantum computers. The order establishes coordination mechanisms and requires agencies to develop migration plans and cryptographic inventories.
Quick Facts
Who
President Biden
What
Issuance of Executive Order 14409
When
2026-06-22
Where
United States
- Issuance of Executive Order 14409
- Transition of federal information systems to post-quantum cryptography
- Assistance to critical infrastructure owners and operators
- Development of PQC migration plans
- Cryptographic inventory management
President Biden has issued Executive Order 14409, establishing a comprehensive national policy to transition federal information systems and critical infrastructure to quantum-resistant cryptography ahead of the anticipated threat posed by advanced quantum computers.
The order responds to a dual threat: the potential emergence of large-scale quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption standards, and ongoing cyber activity in which adversaries may be collecting U.S. government data now to decrypt it later using future quantum capabilities. The executive order directs federal agencies and critical infrastructure operators to migrate to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS).
Under the order, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National Cyber Director will lead strategic coordination of the nationwide PQC migration policy. The Secretary of Commerce, through NIST, along with the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), will provide ongoing technical guidance to agencies on implementation best practices and risk management strategies.
The executive order establishes specific definitions and governance structures, including the appointment of PQC migration leads within federal agencies who will report to their chief information officers and oversee cryptographic inventory management, develop prioritized migration plans, and coordinate cross-agency efforts. The order emphasizes protecting high-value assets and high-impact information systems that support national security and the digital economy.
This action represents a proactive national cybersecurity measure to maintain technological leadership and safeguard sensitive government data, critical infrastructure, and the digital economy against evolving cryptographic threats in the quantum computing era.
Why This Matters
This executive order is critical for U.S. cybersecurity resilience. Quantum computers threaten to break current encryption within years, but adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data today to decrypt later. By mandating NIST-approved post-quantum cryptography standards now, the government protects sensitive national security information, critical infrastructure, and economic data from future decryption attacks. For businesses and organizations reliant on federal systems or critical infrastructure, this signals an urgent need to audit cryptographic assets and plan migration strategies.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 22, 2026
WirePresident Biden issues Executive Order 14409 on post-quantum cryptography security