PQShield, a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) company, has been selected by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) for a new pilot Assured Cyber Security Consultancy (ACSC) scheme. The scheme is designed to support the UK’s migration to quantum-proof cryptography, with a specific focus on critical national infrastructure (CNI). PQShield has been selected in both key categories of the pilot: “Discovery & Migration Planning” and “Advice.”
The NCSC has set a PQC adoption deadline of 2035 for general industry, but an earlier deadline of 2031 for the highest-priority upgrades for CNI. Ben Packman, CSO at PQShield, commented that the pilot recognizes the urgency of migrating CNI, which is a years-long process. PQShield has a background in co-authoring PQC standards with NIST in the U.S. and has worked with government agencies globally.
The ACSC pilot scheme is intended to provide CNI organizations and vendors with guidance on how to implement PQC effectively, and to encourage the growth of PQC expertise in the UK. The initiative is a step toward ensuring that the UK’s national infrastructure is resilient against future quantum-powered cyber threats.
Read the full announcement on the PQShield blog here, and find details on the NCSC PQC pilot here and migration timelines here. You can also review PQShield’s commentary on the NIST PQC standards here.
September 16, 2025
