A breakthrough algorithm has significantly reduced the estimated time to decrypt RSA encryption using quantum computers, rendering the previously assumed million-qubit threshold obsolete. This development has profound implications for the security of online transactions and communication, as RSA is widely used to secure data transmission. The new algorithm, which builds upon Shor's algorithm, suggests that a quantum computer with far fewer qubits could potentially break RSA encryption, making it more vulnerable to quantum attacks. Specifically, the algorithm's improved efficiency could enable the factorization of large numbers, a crucial step in decrypting RSA, using quantum computers with significantly fewer resources. This means that organizations relying on RSA for secure data transmission may need to reassess their cryptographic protocols sooner rather than later. The accelerated timeline for quantum decryption of RSA underscores the need for proactive measures to mitigate potential vulnerabilities, such as migrating to quantum-resistant cryptography or implementing hybrid encryption solutions1. So what this means for practitioners is that they can no longer afford to wait for the emergence of million-qubit quantum computers to start taking action to protect their RSA-encrypted data.