The approval of the UAE National Encryption Policy in November 2025 has set a new direction for how government systems will secure information in the coming years. This decision places encryption at the centre of national digital security. It also signals that the UAE is preparing for quantum risks before they mature, rather than reacting to them later.
The Cabinet has issued the executive regulation along with the policy. This gives the policy legal weight and removes room for interpretation. Government entities are expected to begin planning, auditing and migrating without delay. The move positions the country to safeguard its digital infrastructure against threats that existing encryption standards may not withstand.
Why the Policy Was Introduced
Quantum computing will eventually compromise widely used encryption methods. Attackers do not need quantum capability today to create future damage. They can collect encrypted data now and decrypt it later. This is a serious risk for any nation with mature digital infrastructure.
The policy positions the UAE ahead of that curve. It ensures that government entities examine their environments thoroughly, understand their cryptographic dependencies and prepare a controlled migration. This preparation ensures continuity for identity systems, cloud services, government applications and AI driven operations.
The decision reflects a wider national strategy to ensure that core digital systems support innovation without exposing the country to long term vulnerabilities.
Transition Plans Under the UAE National Encryption Policy
The main requirement introduced by the regulation is the preparation of a detailed transition plan. Every government entity must prepare an official document that outlines its current cryptographic environment and explains how it will move to post quantum cryptography.
A transition plan cannot be vague. It must demonstrate complete understanding of the entity’s cryptographic footprint. This includes certificates, keys, encryption libraries, embedded cryptographic modules, communication protocols, legacy applications, cloud workloads and any custom-built systems where encryption is used behind the scenes.
A strong transition plan should provide answers to the following questions.
- What cryptographic components exist across the environment today.
- Which of these components are likely to be compromised by quantum computation.
- Which systems depend on these components for basic functioning.
- Which vendors supply cryptographic elements that cannot be replaced internally.
- What operational challenges will arise when these components are phased out.
- What resources and timelines the entity will commit to the migration.
- How the entity will maintain service continuity during the transition.
The UAE Cybersecurity Council will review these plans. Approval will depend on the entity’s clarity, accuracy and preparedness. The Council will also grant technical accreditation once the entity has demonstrated progress.
National Programmes Supporting the Migration
The transition is being executed within a structured national framework. The Cybersecurity Council has aligned the policy with three major national programmes that guide assessment, planning and implementation.
National Information Assurance Programme
This programme ensures that all government systems follow a minimum standard of cybersecurity practice. A transition to post quantum cryptography cannot succeed if the basic controls are weak. This programme ensures that the foundation is strong.
National Cybersecurity Index Platform
This platform will monitor and benchmark the preparedness of each entity. It will highlight gaps, track progress and help the Council identify entities that require further guidance.
National Post Quantum Migration Programme
This is the central programme for the migration. It provides methodology, compatibility guidelines, technical support and the official pathway for adopting quantum safe standards.
The Cybersecurity Council has also formed a strategic partnership with QuantumGate, a VentureOne subsidiary. QuantumGate will support the government’s migration journey with quantum resilient technologies and advisory capabilities.
Tools Introduced for the Transition
The executive regulation has been accompanied by the introduction of specific tools that government entities are expected to use. These tools form the technical base of the migration process.
Crypto Discovery Tool
This tool provides a comprehensive inventory of all cryptographic assets across the digital environment. It identifies certificates, algorithms, key management components, protocol implementations and cryptographic dependencies inside applications. This visibility is essential for preparing a meaningful transition plan.
QSphere
QSphere is a quantum resilient communication and data protection platform. It allows entities to secure sensitive information during the transition and afterwards. For departments that handle critical data, QSphere will become a key component of early adoption.
Salina and Secure VMI
These platforms support secure workloads and controlled virtual environments. They add defence in areas where infrastructure requires additional protection during the migration.
These tools reflect the minimum set of capabilities required for cryptographic discovery, planning and migration.
Verification Through Reliability Pillars
The Council will not approve plans or systems based on descriptions alone. The policy introduces four reliability pillars. These pillars form the basis for technical scrutiny.
AI Reliability
AI systems depend on data pipelines that may change once cryptographic mechanisms are replaced. Entities must ensure that model behaviour remains predictable and safe.
Software Reliability
Applications that rely on encryption libraries, secure boot processes and certificate-based authentication must be tested thoroughly to ensure stability once upgraded.
Hardware Reliability
Routers, identity devices, sensors, servers and other hardware contain cryptographic modules that may not support post quantum algorithms. These components must be tested and modernised.
Signal Reliability
Communication between systems, both internal and cross-department, must maintain integrity during and after the migration.
These pillars ensure that entities do not treat the transition as a cosmetic change. The migration affects infrastructure at every layer, and each layer must be verified.
Expected Timelines and the Broader National Strategy
The policy was approved around November 27, 2025. No public submission deadline has been announced. However, the language used by the authorities indicates that the transition is meant to begin immediately. The reference to large scale implementation suggests that entities are expected to start their audits and prepare their documentation without waiting for further instructions.
The policy fits into the UAE’s long-term strategy to build secure digital infrastructure capable of supporting AI-driven public services, advanced digital platforms and growing national datasets. Without quantum safe encryption, the country risks exposing its core systems to future attacks.
Preparing for quantum disruption is therefore a key national priority.
Actions Government Entities Should Begin Immediately
Based on the policy and the available information, the following actions should start at once.
- Conduct a full cryptographic audit using the Crypto Discovery Tool.
- Map dependencies across applications, APIs, cloud environments and internal communication systems.
- Draft a detailed transition plan that covers risks, costs, timelines, resource needs and system impacts.
- Submit the plan to the UAE Cybersecurity Council for approval and accreditation.
- Begin pilot adoption of quantum resilient tools such as QSphere for high sensitivity data flows.
- Identify vendor-driven cryptographic components that will need replacement or upgrading.
- Establish monitoring processes for AI, software, hardware and communication channels based on the reliability pillars.
Entities that act early will manage the transition with fewer disruptions and gain a clearer path to long-term security.
