Western Digital Corporation today announced a significant step in next-generation infrastructure security with the integration of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) into its newest high-capacity Ultrastar UltraSMR hard disk drives. As AI infrastructure evolves from compute-centric deployments to data systems that persistently retain information across every inference, training run, and interaction, the durability and security of that data becomes foundational, not optional.
WD integrates PQC into Ultrastar DC HC6100 UltraSMR HDDs with NIST-approved ML-DSA-87 algorithm.
Implements dual-signing with RSA-3072 combining proven and emerging cryptographic standards.
Currently in qualification with multiple hyperscale customers.
Addresses harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) threat and firmware-level attacks.
PQC-capable PKI and HSM workflows deployed for key issuance, rotation, and lifecycle management.
WD expects to expand PQC capabilities across additional enterprise HDD product lines.
As AI infrastructure and workloads generate and retain data in perpetuity, the value of that accumulated data grows, and so does the urgency to protect it. Enterprise storage infrastructure typically remains in service for five years or longer, a timeframe that may overlap with the emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers. Adversaries may collect encrypted or signed data today with the intent to decrypt or forge security signatures once quantum capabilities mature. A quantum-enabled adversary could potentially forge digital signatures on firmware updates, allowing malicious code to appear authentic and compromising drive security.
“As AI data compounds and becomes more valuable and long-lived, securing it for the future is no longer optional. Quantum computing represents one of the most significant technology transitions of our time, and it is advancing faster than many organizations anticipate. The security architectures that have protected enterprise storage for more than a decade will need to evolve,” said Dr. Xiaodong (Carl) Che, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President at WD. “Integrating post-quantum cryptography into our Ultrastar enterprise-class drives is part of our commitment to helping customers stay ahead of threats that are already present in the form of HNDL attacks. By aligning with NIST standards and CNSA 2.0 today, we are helping enterprises build a clear, low-friction path to quantum-safe storage infrastructure.”
WD's PQC implementation on the new Ultrastar DC HC6100 UltraSMR is designed to help protect device trust chains from manufacturing through field service. Key elements include:
Algorithm selection: ML-DSA-87 (NIST FIPS 204) for high-assurance code signing, with dual-signing using RSA-3072 combining proven and emerging cryptographic standards to ensure strong, resilient security.
Infrastructure readiness: PQC-capable public key infrastructure (PKI) and hardware security module (HSM) workflows deployed to support key issuance, rotation, and lifecycle management.
Operational continuity: Dual-signing and rollback safeguards designed to support deployment across diverse fleets without disrupting current operations.
WD, also known as Western Digital, builds the storage infrastructure that powers certainty in the AI-driven data economy. At the forefront of innovation, WD partners with the world's leading hyperscalers, cloud service providers, and enterprises to deliver reliable storage solutions that are proven and trusted at scale. Driven by a culture of innovation and execution, WD helps customers store, protect, and use the world's data with confidence.
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