October 07 2025 -- Data security is reaching a critical inflection point. Sensitive information is sprawling across hybrid environments, expanding the attack surface and complicating encryption and governance. At the same time, it is anticipated that quantum computing will introduce significant risks: encryption algorithms—relied upon by the majority of organizations—will be broken, exposing today’s encrypted data.

A new report from the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals a troubling gap: only 30% of organizations have completed a cryptographic inventory, leaving most uninformed about both current vulnerabilities and emerging quantum risks.

In response, IBM is introducing Guardium Cryptography Manager, a unified, AI-powered solution built to help enterprises protect data and take control of their cryptographic posture. Delivering visibility, centralized lifecycle management, encryption and guiding post-quantum cryptography remediation, this new solution helps organizations advance towards crypto-agility.

Built on IBM’s Quantum-safe vision

IBM’s leadership in data security and post-quantum cryptography is rooted in decades of cryptographic innovation, deep enterprise experience and pioneering research. From contribution to NIST’s post-quantum cryptography standards to securing mission-critical infrastructure, IBM has long been at the forefront of cryptographic advancement.

What sets IBM apart is its position as a leader in quantum systems and post-quantum cryptography, giving it insight into the potential risks posed by quantum computing and the tools needed to address them. This dual expertise uniquely positions IBM to help clients navigate the transition to quantum resilience.

Last year, IBM introduced Guardium Quantum Safe to help enterprises assess cryptographic vulnerabilities. Today, we’re expanding that foundation with Guardium Cryptography Manager, which bridges quantum risk insights with enterprise-wide encryption and cryptographic object management.

“IBM’s approach to crypto-agility reflects a broader understanding of the evolving cryptographic landscape. By aligning its data security strategy with emerging quantum risks—and leveraging its expertise in quantum computing—IBM is well-positioned to help organizations prepare for the next era of encryption,” said Heather West, PhD, Research Manager, IDC. “This forward-looking posture is essential as enterprises begin navigating the long-term transition toward quantum resilience.”

New capabilities with Guardium Cryptography Manager

Guardium Cryptography Manager leverages generative AI to deliver advanced insights and accelerate remediation to enable fast, smarter decisions. Key capabilities of the new solution include:

Cryptographic visibility and control

Guardium Cryptography Manager offers deep visibility into an organization’s cryptographic landscape, maps dependencies of cryptographic objects to relevant IT assets, and provides audit-ready reporting. New capabilities also include an enterprise risk score and automated remediation workflows to support a holistic view of risk across the environment and help enable seamless migration to quantum-resilient encryption.

Agentless transparent database encryption

Guardium Cryptography Manager delivers centralized, agentless visibility into the encryption status of leading enterprise databases, facilitating the identification of unencrypted or partially encrypted instances across environments. It automates detection of encryption gaps and initiates remediation requests to protect sensitive data by using each database’s native encryption capabilities.

Powering end-to-end data security across hybrid environments

Guardium Cryptography Manager is now available, with support for certificate lifecycle management and transparent database encryption coming in November 2025. The new solution builds on the broader innovations within the IBM Guardium portfolio, which enables organizations to protect sensitive data across hybrid, multi-cloud, SaaS, and on-prem environments—throughout its full lifecycle. Among those innovations is the industry’s first software to unify agentic governance and security.

IBM today is also introducing new continuous data compliance functionalities to Guardium Data Protection, enabling organizations to automate oversight, map their regulatory requirements, and monitor audit readiness.