Quantum-safe SASE: post-quantum cryptography on every Nexapp layer

Attackers do not need a quantum computer today to cause harm later. They can record encrypted traffic now and store it. When a cryptographically relevant quantum computer exists, today's key exchange methods (RSA and elliptic-curve Diffie-Hellman) can be broken, and the stored traffic can be read.

This is called harvest now, decrypt later. Nobody can say exactly when such a computer will arrive. What matters is how long your data must stay secret:

• Banks and NBFCs: customer, account and transaction data that stays sensitive for years.
• Government and PSUs: records with long classification periods.
• Energy and utilities: control-system designs and operational data for critical infrastructure.

If your data must stay confidential beyond the time it takes to migrate, the migration needs to start now. Post-quantum key exchange protects the traffic you send today.

Nexapp combines a proven classical key exchange with ML-KEM in the same handshake. The session key depends on both. An attacker must break both to read the traffic. This is the approach used in the IETF specifications for IKEv2 and TLS 1.3, and it keeps classical protection in place while the new algorithms mature.

Many post-quantum offerings cover one layer, usually the VPN tunnel or TLS inspection. Nexapp covers four layers and every part of the connection:

1. Key exchange: hybrid ML-KEM on every Nexapp tunnel: SD-WAN, routers, SSE and management.
2. Authentication: ML-DSA certificates prove each peer is genuine, for IKEv2 and TLS.
3. Firmware and configuration: post-quantum signatures confirm that devices run genuine NexappOS code and approved configuration.
4. TLS: post-quantum TLS 1.3 protects consoles, APIs and SSE inspection.

The same protection runs from an entry-level 4G router to the SSE cloud, so a single ATM gets the same encryption as a data centre.

1. Connect. An Instaroute router or SD-WAN edge starts an IKEv2 handshake with its hub or the SSE gateway.
2. Exchange keys. The peers run a classical key exchange and an ML-KEM exchange, and combine both into the session key.
3. Authenticate. Each side proves its identity with an ML-DSA certificate issued through the Nexapp PKI.
4. Protect data. Traffic flows over IPsec with the resulting keys, and is re-keyed with the same hybrid method.
5. Report. The controller shows which tunnels use post-quantum protection, and the CBOM lists every algorithm in use.

Post-quantum mode is on by default. You don't need to switch anything on.

DST roadmap to quantum resiliency

In May 2026, India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) published its final report under the National Quantum Mission: Quantum-Safe Ecosystem in India: Roadmap to Quantum Resiliency. It sets phased milestones:

The roadmap also:

• adopts NIST algorithms (ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA) as the baseline, with an emphasis on crypto-agility;
• asks buyers to request vendor CBOMs from FY 2026-27, and to make them mandatory in procurement from FY 2027-28;
• plans a testing and certification framework with four assurance levels, with Tier-1 and Tier-2 labs targeted for December 2026;
• gives preference to indigenous quantum-safe products for critical infrastructure, subject to technical suitability.

One caution: the roadmap states that it is not a legal or regulatory mandate. Adoption, timelines and enforcement are for sector regulators to decide. Earlier coverage of the February 2026 draft quoted different dates, so plan against the final report.

CERT-In CBOM guidance

CERT-In's Technical Guidelines on SBOM, QBOM and CBOM, AIBOM and HBOM (version 2, 9 July 2025) describe a CBOM as an inventory of algorithms, key management, certificates, TLS configurations and hash functions. Nexapp provides a CBOM for its platform to support this, and to help you prepare for the DST roadmap's CBOM expectation.

RBI and banks

RBI's Cybersecurity, Technology: Risk, Resilience and Assurance Framework Directions of 31 July 2026 require strong, non-deprecated cryptography. In September 2026, RBI also called on payment system providers and network operators to begin moving towards quantum-safe payment systems. It has set up an expert committee on a Quantum Secure and Adaptive Financial Ecosystem (Q-Safe). RBI has not yet set a post-quantum deadline or standard. Nexapp's CBOM and post-quantum tunnels help banks start early and show which algorithms are in use.

TEC

TEC published a technical report on migration to post-quantum cryptography on 28 March 2025, and leads the testing framework under the DST roadmap. India's post-quantum certification labs are not yet operating; the roadmap targets Tier-1 and Tier-2 labs by December 2026.

• Protect today's traffic from future decryption on every branch, ATM, user and console connection.
• Start your DST roadmap work now with a CBOM and a view of which connections are post-quantum.
• Change algorithms by policy through crypto-agility, as standards and national guidance evolve.
• Buy from one Indian vendor for routers, SD-WAN, SSE and management, with one SLA.

• NIST FIPS 203 (ML-KEM), FIPS 204 (ML-DSA), FIPS 205 (SLH-DSA), published August 2024.
• IETF: ML-KEM for IKEv2 (draft-ietf-ipsecme-ikev2-mlkem), multiple key exchanges in IKEv2 (RFC 9370), hybrid ECDHE-MLKEM for TLS 1.3 (RFC 10024, August 2026).
• DST, Quantum-Safe Ecosystem in India: Roadmap to Quantum Resiliency (May 2026).
• CERT-In, Technical Guidelines on SBOM, QBOM and CBOM, AIBOM and HBOM, v2 (9 July 2025).
• TEC, Technical Report on Migration to Post Quantum Cryptography (28 March 2025).

• Is IPsec quantum-safe? ML-KEM and IKEv2 explained
• Post-quantum cryptography in India: DST roadmap milestones