10 Questions Every Digital Payment Organization Must Ask to Prioritize Quantum Risks

Introduction 

As digital payments continue to grow, cryptography remains the invisible shield protecting APIs, transaction flows, user authentication, and stored data. But identifying where cryptography exists is only the first step. The real challenge is understanding which cryptographic elements pose the highest quantum risk and which ones must be secured first. 

To help organizations get started, here’s a practical 10-question checklist used by leading payment teams to prioritize quantum risks effectively. 

10 Questions to Prioritize Quantum Risks 

Once you identify where cryptography exists, the next step is understanding which risks matter the most. Here’s a practical checklist to help teams prioritize quantum risks with clarity and confidence.

1. Which systems are the most critical to daily payment operations?

High-volume APIs, gateways, and authentication flows must be evaluated first.

2. Which cryptographic algorithms protect these systems today?

RSA, ECC, AES-128, AES-256 each reacts differently under quantum attacks.

3. Are any legacy algorithms still in use?

3DES, DES, SHA-1, old TLS versions often hide in older payment and POS systems.

4. How sensitive is the data processed or stored by each system?

PAN data, transaction logs, customer info, tokens sensitivity drives risk.

5. How long must the encrypted data remain secure?

Data retained for 7–10+ years is vulnerable to “harvest now, decrypt later.”

6. What would be the regulatory impact if this encrypted data were exposed?

PCI DSS, RBI, MAS, GDPR quantum-risk exposure affects audits and compliance.

7. Are cryptographic keys stored securely and rotatedfrequently?

Weak key practices increase decryption risk even before quantum maturity.

8. Are third-party or fintech integrations using strong cryptography?

External APIs often introduce quantum vulnerabilities you don’t control.

9. Do you have visibility into how certificates are used across your APIs?

Untracked or expired RSA/ECC certificates create high-risk blind spots.

10. Is there a clear prioritization framework for addressing high-risk assets first?

Not all risks are equal prioritization drives efficient migration planning. 

Why This Matters 

Most payment ecosystems have hundreds of certificates, algorithms, keys, and encryption workflows. Not all of them carry the same exposure. 
Asking these ten questions helps your organization: 

• Identify high-risk systems quickly 

• Focus resources where they matter most 

• Avoid spending on low-priority areas 

• Prepare for PQC migration with clarity 

• Reduce regulatory and future decryption risks 

Organizations that cannot answer these questions confidently often discover major cryptographic blind spots during audits or assessments. 

How SISA Supports This Journey 

SISA helps digital payment providers move from discovery to prioritization through: 

• Structured cryptographic discovery 

• Risk-based evaluation of quantum exposure 

• Expert-led validation of algorithm strength and data sensitivity 

• Clear prioritization guidance for short-term and long-term mitigation 

Our goal is simple give you clear visibility, highlight what needs attention first, and help you build a secure path toward quantum safety. 

Conclusion 

Quantum threats may not be mainstream today, but the decisions organizations make now will determine their resilience tomorrow. 
These ten questions provide a simple, actionable way to begin the prioritization journey ensuring that your most critical systems stay protected as quantum capabilities grow.