U.S. technology firm IBM on Monday announced an expanded collaboration with Singapore-based communications and digital services provider StarHub to enhance the latter’s quantum-safe cybersecurity capabilities against emerging cryptographic threats posed by future quantum computing technologies.
Under the collaboration, IBM will support StarHub with solutions including IBM Guardian Cryptography Manager and IBM Quantum Safe Explorer to strengthen its preparedness for quantum-era security risks, IBM said in a statement.
Ahead of its commercial release, this initiative is focused on strengthening quantum-safe readiness and crypto-agility capabilities for future network environments.
It is noted while such quantum computers do not exist yet, adversaries are already deploying “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” strategies to intercept and store encrypted data today with the intent of decrypting it in the future, once they are able to access these mature quantum capabilities.
The telecommunications sector continues to be a target for cyber attackers and enterprises are looking to secure critical network infrastructures earlier by building crypto-agility into their security foundations, enabling them to adapt encryption methods as standards evolve.
As part of this initiative, IBM will support StarHub in establishing a more crypto-agile foundation operating on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
This effort reflects growing industry focus on security architectures designed to evolving risks and post-quantum standards, as organizations increasingly view cybersecurity as a strategic trust imperative rather than solely a compliance requirement.
This builds on our earlier collaboration in automation management, where StarHub leverages IBM AIOps and IBM SevOne.
To further enhance service assurance, it utilizes IBM watsonx.data and IBM watsonx.data.intelligence.
These network transformation initiatives are designed to improve agility, increase productivity, and enable business growth.
“Our collaboration with IBM is grounded in a shared commitment to building secure, resilient, and future-ready networks,
“Building on earlier work in observability and intelligent data capabilities, we are now advancing our quantum-safe readiness to prepare for increasingly complex security challenges,” said Dr. Volkan Sevindik, Chief Technology Officer, StarHub.
According to him, crypto-agility will become an important foundation for protecting sensitive data and maintaining trust.
“Through this work, we aim to help customers stay ahead of emerging risks while continuing to innovate with confidence,” he added.
IBM said it will support StarHub in strengthening its quantum-safe readiness through technologies designed to help organizations discover cryptographic dependencies, assess vulnerabilities, and prepare for migration to post-quantum cryptography standards.
This includes supporting the development of more resilient, adaptable security architectures aligned with evolving Singapore regulatory expectations.
The collaboration reflects broader industry momentum in Singapore around quantum-safe security initiatives.
“The threat of ‘Harvest Now, Decrypt Later’ is a present-day reality for critical infrastructure,
“Our longstanding collaboration with StarHub is rooted in continuous operational resilience and reflects the increasing urgency for organizations to strengthen cybersecurity as post-quantum risks emerge,” said Catherine Lian, General Manager and Technology Leader, IBM ASEAN.
Cited IBM’s 2026 CEO Study, she noted that cybersecurity ranks among top priorities for telecommunication leaders across the region.
“Through this expanded collaboration, we are supporting StarHub in strengthening long-term resilience across increasingly complex digital environments in Singapore,” she added.
It is noted that IBM’s quantum-safe technologies are based on the company’s algorithms, which are among globally recognized post-quantum cryptography standards published by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
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