PQC Readiness Services
How MSPs and MSSPs Can Offer PQC Readiness Services to Clients
Learn how MSPs and MSSPs can offer PQC readiness services: client crypto inventory, readiness scoring, scheduled monitoring, and executive reporting as recurring revenue.
How MSPs and MSSPs Can Offer PQC Readiness Services to Clients
Managed service providers are uniquely positioned to deliver post-quantum cryptography readiness as a recurring revenue service. Your clients already trust you with their security posture. They already receive regular reports and assessments from you. Adding PQC readiness to your service catalog transforms a regulatory imperative into a business opportunity.
This article covers how MSPs and MSSPs can build a crypto inventory practice, package client-ready deliverables, and differentiate their offering. For related context, see crypto agility planning.
Why PQC Readiness Is an MSP Opportunity
Three trends make PQC readiness a compelling MSP service:
- Every client needs it. NIST's PQC standards affect every organization that uses TLS — which is every organization with a website, API, or cloud service. Your entire client base is in scope.
- Most clients cannot do it themselves. Cryptographic inventory requires tools, expertise, and ongoing monitoring that most small and mid-market organizations lack. They will look to their trusted MSP for help. For related context, see healthcare and financial PQC readiness programs.
- It is recurring by nature. PQC readiness is not a one-time assessment. Certificates expire, new services come online, vendors update their configurations. Scheduled monitoring and quarterly reporting creates sustainable recurring revenue. For related context, see PQC compliance planning.
Building Your PQC Readiness Service
Service Tier 1: Baseline Crypto Inventory
The entry-level service every MSP can offer today. For each client domain:
- Run an external cryptographic posture assessment (CipherReady automates this)
- Deliver a TLS certificate inventory with algorithm, key size, and expiry data
- Provide a readiness score and executive summary
- Price: Per-domain, one-time baseline fee + monthly monitoring
Service Tier 2: PQC Readiness Monitoring
Add recurring value:
- Monthly scheduled scans on all client domains
- Trend tracking: readiness score changes over time
- Certificate expiry alerts (47-day certificate lifespans are coming)
- New domain discovery (clients add domains without telling you)
- Quarterly executive report delivered to client leadership
- Price: Monthly recurring per-client, tiered by domain count
Service Tier 3: Vendor PQC Assessment
Add vendor risk management:
- Inventory client's SaaS and cloud vendors
- Send structured PQC readiness questionnaires
- Track vendor responses and risk classifications
- Include vendor risk in quarterly client reports
- Architect mitigation recommendations (proxy termination, additional encryption layers)
- Price: Premium add-on to Tier 2
Service Tier 4: Full PQC Migration Program
For enterprise clients:
- Internal cryptographic discovery (beyond external)
- CBOM generation in CycloneDX format
- Migration roadmap with prioritized actions
- Compliance alignment (PCI DSS, HIPAA, NIST, CNSA)
- Board-ready annual readiness report
- Price: Enterprise contract, annual
Client-Ready Deliverables
Every PQC readiness service should produce deliverables the client's leadership can understand:
- One-page executive summary: Current readiness score, top 3 risks, recommended action, trend arrow
- Certificate inventory report: Every TLS certificate, its algorithm, key size, issuer, expiry, and quantum risk classification
- Risk heat map: Visual prioritization showing which assets need attention first
- Vendor risk register: Which vendors have been assessed, their PQC roadmap status, and gaps
- Quarterly trend report: How the client's cryptographic posture is improving over time
CipherReady's PDF report engine is designed for exactly this client-deliverable workflow — ready-to-brand reports from scan data.
How to Get Started This Month
Week 1: Run a free CipherReady scan on one of your own MSP domains. Understand the output. This is what you will deliver to clients.
Week 2: Pick two friendly clients. Offer a free baseline crypto inventory. Gather feedback on the report format and what resonated.
Week 3: Package the service: pricing tiers, report templates, client-facing one-pager explaining PQC readiness and why it matters.
Week 4: Launch to your full client base. Include PQC readiness in your next QBR (quarterly business review) deck.
FAQ
Q: Do my clients even know what PQC is? A: Most do not — yet. But they understand "regulatory compliance," "cyber insurance requirements," and "security assessment." Frame PQC readiness in those terms. The education is part of your value-add.
Q: What if my client has no budget for new services? A: Start with a free baseline scan as a value demonstration. Include the readiness score in your existing QBR. When clients see the gap between their current posture and emerging requirements, budget conversations follow naturally.
Q: How does CipherReady fit into my MSP tool stack? A: CipherReady's Pro/MSP tier supports multi-client dashboards, client-ready reports, scheduled monitoring, and up to 2,000 scans/month across 25 users — purpose-built for MSP workflows.
Start Free Readiness Scan →
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