PQC Migration Planning
PQC Migration Planning
Turn scanner findings into a phased, trackable transition to post-quantum cryptography.
Applies to:
Migration RoadmapHybrid StrategyPhased RolloutProgress Tracking
The migration model
DuoKey structures the transition as a four-phase roadmap. Each phase has a status (Planned, In Progress, Completed, Blocked) and a progress percentage, so the overall roadmap rolls up to a single completion figure you can report.
1 · Assessment & Planning
plan
2 · Pilot Implementation
validate
3 · Hybrid Deployment
roll out
4 · Full PQC Transition
Each phase carries a status and a progress percentage that roll up to a single completion figure.
| Phase | Goal | Typical activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Assessment & Planning | Know what you have | Inventory all cryptographic assets, identify quantum-vulnerable systems, build the roadmap, secure budget |
| 2 · Pilot Implementation | Prove it works | Deploy PQC in a test environment, validate performance, test interoperability, train operations |
| 3 · Hybrid Deployment | Protect without breaking | Roll out hybrid (classical + PQC), enable dual-algorithm support, migrate production gradually |
| 4 · Full PQC Transition | Reach the target state | Disable quantum-vulnerable algorithms, deploy pure PQC, decommission legacy, monitor continuously |
Hybrid strategy
The recommended path is hybrid first: combine a classical algorithm with a post-quantum one so you gain quantum protection while staying compatible with peers that do not yet support PQC. A hybrid strategy specifies:
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Classical algorithm | The existing algorithm kept for compatibility (e.g. X25519, RSA) |
| PQC algorithm | The post-quantum algorithm added (e.g. ML-KEM, ML-DSA) |
| Deployment order | Classical-first, PQC-first, or parallel |
| Fallback | Whether to fall back to classical if a peer cannot negotiate PQC |
| Testing criteria | The checks that must pass before promoting to production |
Tip
For key exchange, X25519MLKEM768 (X25519 + ML-KEM-768) is the widely-interoperable hybrid to target on TLS 1.3.
Target algorithms
| Use | Target (NIST) | Replaces |
|---|---|---|
| Key encapsulation | ML-KEM (FIPS 203) | RSA / ECDH key exchange |
| Digital signatures | ML-DSA (FIPS 204) | RSA / ECDSA / EdDSA signatures |
| Hash-based signatures | SLH-DSA (FIPS 205) | Long-lived / firmware signing |
| Symmetric (already safe) | AES-256, SHA-384/512 | No change needed |
From findings to a plan
Prioritize
Sort findings by severity/priority (P0–P1 first) and by exposure (public, high-value systems first).
Pilot
Validate the chosen hybrid suites on a representative test environment.
Deploy hybrid
Enable hybrid on production endpoints as certificates rotate, with fallback on.
Complete
Once coverage is high and stable, disable the classical-only paths and decommission legacy crypto.
Tracking progress
Re-scan regularly and watch these move in the right direction:
| Metric | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Quantum Readiness Score (QRS) | Overall posture, 0–100 — should trend up |
| Endpoints migrated | Share of endpoints negotiating hybrid / PQC |
| Certificate rotation | Rate of PQC / hybrid certificate deployment |
| Vulnerable assets | Count of remaining quantum-vulnerable findings — should trend down |
Note
The roadmap and per-phase progress are surfaced on the Migration tab of the PQC Readiness dashboard. See Understanding Results and QRS Scoring.