A representative from the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) was recently quoted saying “Quantum era is not on the horizon. It is closer than we think. Waiting is no longer an option, and the time to act and prepare is now.”
Accountants have to start thinking about implementing security measures against advanced cyber attacks to protect confidential information like financial records, email signatures, and audit records.
What is Quantum Cybersecurity?
Quantum cybersecurity is the defense against attacks from quantum computers. Normal computers use “bits”, which are either 0 or 1. Quantum computers use “qubits”, which can be 0 and 1 at the same time. This makes them extremely powerful.
The problem is that quantum algorithms like Shor’s and Grover’s could break today’s common encryption methods (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman and Elliptic Curve Cryptography). If that happens to a business, it can lead to their financial records being exposed.
Experts are developing two solutions to safeguard data from these attacks:
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): New algorithms like lattice-based cryptography (Kyber, Dilithium) that are resistant to quantum attacks.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD): This is a method of exchanging encryption keys using the laws of physics. With this method, you can instantly know when someone is trying to hack your information.
What are the UAE’s Cybersecurity Regulations?
Quantum computing is seen as a new opportunity in the UAE’s financial sector. Abu Dhabi has already:
- ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market), a free zone, has hosted conferences on quantum finance.
- The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) has set up teams to explore quantum in investment strategies.
- Dubai hosted the Quantum Innovation Summit 2025.
- The Technology Innovation Institute in Masdar City has a globally recognised Quantum Research Center.
The UAE is preparing early for the risks of quantum computing. A major risk, called “store now, decrypt later”, is when financial data is stolen and stored for years, even if it is currently encrypted.
At GISEC Global 2025, the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) launched the Quantum Cybersecurity Readiness Guideline.
This roadmap has three steps:
- Planning: This phase starts with a firm assessing quantum risks, checking how long sensitive data must be protected, and recording all the encryption systems currently in use.
- Make a Roadmap: This phase involves creating short-term and long-term plans to move toward quantum-safe systems.
- Implementation: This phase involves putting the plan into action and monitoring its progress while maintaining strong governance.
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Cybersecurity for Accounting Firms
Accounting firms usually manage extremely sensitive information like:
- Client ledgers
- Payroll information
- Audit reports
- Tax filings
- Investment data
If any of this information is leaked or tampered with, it can seriously damage client trust and put the firm’s ability to meet regulations at risk. As quantum computers can break encryption methods faster than regular computers, having protective measures in place that can tackle these risks is essential.
Some of the main risks are:
Compromised audit accuracy: Audits rely on secure digital signatures and records to show that the numbers are correct. In the future, quantum computers could break this security, allowing hackers to fake approvals or change financial data without anyone knowing.
Compromised long-term data: Accountants have to keep records for many years. Hackers could steal these files now and wait until quantum computers are powerful enough to unlock them. This is the “store now, decrypt later” risk.
Compromised reputation: Clients trust accounting services in Dubai to keep their financial data safe. A data breach wouldn’t just be a tech issue, it could permanently harm your reputation.
How Can Accountants Keep Data Safe?
There are a few things accounting firms can do to keep their data and their client’s data safe:
1. Understand how long your data needs to stay secure:
The first step is to identify which records need to remain protected for the next 5, 10, or even 20 years. These long-term files should be the main priority for quantum-safe protection.
2. Start using quantum-safe encryption:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recommended firms to start looking into more advanced encryption methods to prevent quantum attacks.
3. Encourage cross-department collaboration:
All the internal departments in a firm should be trained on identifying security threats and be provided the appropriate measures to prevent them. Data breaches can happen in any department, so organizations must be prepared to handle them regardless of where they occur.
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