In cybersecurity, mastery rarely comes with medals. Unlike athletes crowned with gold or scientists awarded Nobel Prizes, the most meaningful victories in security are the breaches that never happen, the crises quietly avoided, the systems that remain standing because someone found the flaw before an attacker did. But what happens when a government asks you to prove  you are world-class—using criteria designed for people with visible trophies? That challenge is exactly what J

I. Introduction: When Trust Meets Physics The modern digital world runs on trust. Every online bank transfer, cloud login, encrypted email, or software update depends on cryptography to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. For decades, this trust has been justified by mathematics: the cryptographic algorithms securing the internet rely on problems so computationally difficult that solving them would take classical computers longer than the age of the universe.

As offices slow down, inboxes fill with out-of-office replies, and teams step away to recharge, cybercriminals do the opposite. The Christmas and New Year period consistently ranks as one of the highest-risk windows for cyberattacks . Why? Because attackers understand the holiday mindset. Reduced IT staffing, slower approvals, and relaxed vigilance create the perfect conditions for exploitation. This advisory explains why the holiday season is prime time for attackers  and pr