Palo Alto Networks has rolled out new security capabilities aimed at two of the most pressing challenges facing enterprises: preparing for the quantum era and managing security in fast-moving multi-cloud and AI-driven environments. The updates are available through PAN-OS 12.1 and are designed to give organizations a single, integrated approach to address cryptographic risk and dynamic cloud workloads.
Rich Campagna, SVP of Network Security at Palo Alto Networks told MSSP Alert that the release zeroes in on “quantum security and cloud/AI security automation” as the most pressing areas for customers.
Accelerating Quantum Readiness
Campagna explained that the urgency around quantum security has grown sharply over the past year as advances from Google, IBM, and Microsoft shorten the expected timeline for when quantum computers could break current encryption standards - potentially in just three to six years. “That means every organization needs to upgrade their digital communications to be quantum-safe well before then, which is a major project,” he said.
To address this, PAN-OS now supports post-quantum ciphers across all network security controls, with 14 new hardware firewalls optimized for high-performance processing of post-quantum cryptography. A new Quantum Readiness Dashboard provides real-time visibility into cryptographic posture by automatically identifying devices, applications, and infrastructure that are, or are not, quantum-ready - highlighting internal, custom-built applications that are often hardest to update.
The company’s new Quantum Readiness Dashboard helps organizations identify and manage cryptographic risks by providing real-time inventory, compliance checks, and automated remediation. For applications that can’t yet support quantum-safe encryption, a cipher translation feature upgrades them on the fly. Palo Alto Networks has also introduced 14 new 5th-generation Next-Generation Firewall models optimized for post-quantum cryptography, ensuring that current investments are ready for future encryption standards.
Another addition is the Cipher Translation, which Campagna described as a way to “instantly upgrade any legacy application that only supports pre-quantum cryptography to quantum-safe.” By isolating the application behind a firewall and translating its traffic to post-quantum ciphers in real time, organizations can protect legacy systems immediately without redevelopment. “To the outside world - and to any potential attacker - it’s already protected,” Campagna added, noting its value for enterprises with large portfolios of legacy applications.
Automating Cloud and AI Security
The second focus area tackles operational complexity in multi-cloud and AI-driven environments. Campagna pointed out that cloud infrastructure changes rapidly, and AI adoption is accelerating those shifts, often with unvetted open-source components. “Security infrastructure is often static, requiring manual deployment of controls for every new project,” he said.
The new Cloud and AI Risk Assessment capability discovers all assets, including AI workloads, and flags gaps in protection. From there, the system automatically deploys the right safeguards - whether Prisma AI runtime security, cloud or software firewalls, or a secure multi-cloud mesh - while configuring infrastructure, connecting environments, and integrating load balancing. This removes the need for separate networking or security point products and ensures defenses adapt as workloads change.
Campagna contrasted this with competitive offerings that require “assembling multiple solutions - firewall vendors, AI security startups, multi-cloud networking providers, load balancers - plus building your own automation.” In his view, Palo Alto Networks delivers “a complete, fully integrated solution in one deployment,” reflecting the advantage of a platform approach.
Enabling the Channel
For managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs), the capabilities are fully available through Palo Alto Networks’ channel programs.
Campagna said this gives partners a way to “position themselves at the forefront of critical areas like AI security and quantum security” while offering clients a unified, future-ready security posture.
The updates are part of PAN-OS 12.1 and extend across Palo Alto Networks’ network security portfolio, combining quantum-safe protections with automated, adaptive defenses for cloud and AI environments.
