This report examines why high-quality randomness—known as entropy—is a foundational requirement for securing modern digital systems. While encryption algorithms such as AES-128 remain mathematically sound, their real-world security depends critically on the unpredictability of the randomness used to generate cryptographic keys. Weak or poorly managed entropy can quietly undermine encryption today and significantly accelerate risk as quantum computing capabilities advance.
The paper explores how entropy failures arise across environments such as IoT devices, cloud platforms, and 5G networks, and explains how these weaknesses reduce effective cryptographic strength under both classical and quantum-aware threat models. It also outlines practical mitigation strategies, including design principles, operational controls, and Entropy-as-a-Service (EaaS) approaches, to help organizations strengthen cryptographic resilience and support long-term quantum-safe migration planning.
For senior leaders and decision-makers, ATIS has also published a concise Executive Briefing that distills the technical findings into clear business risks, implications, and recommended actions, enabling informed governance and investment decisions without requiring deep cryptographic expertise.