Cryptographic discovery is step zero in any Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) migration. Before you can assess risk, plan migration or satisfy a regulatory audit, you need to know what cryptographic assets you have and where they live.
The market for PQC scanning and cryptographic discovery tools has grown significantly since NIST finalised its PQC standards in August 2024. Several credible platforms now exist. But they are not equivalent, each built with a different primary surface in mind, and each has genuine gaps.
This blog covers the five tools security teams are most frequently evaluating in 2026, what each does, and what Indian BFSI organisations specifically need to account for when making this decision.
Things to evaluate before you look at any tool
Two questions matter most:
- Which surfaces does the tool actually scan – code, network, containers,
HSMs? and - Does the output map to your regulatory requirements?
CERT-In Technical Guidelines Version 2.0 specifies CycloneDX as the required CBOM format. A proprietary output format adds a manual translation step before any CERT-In, SEBI or RBI submission and that step is where errors enter.
Top 5 PQC Scanning & Cryptographic Discovery Tools 2026
As we continue to develop and further expand our CBOM and PQC solutions, we have come across many tools and platforms from different parts of the world. Based on our experience and insights from peers, here are the top 5 tools as things stand today.
1. SandboxAQ AQtive Guard
SandboxAQ’s platform focuses on network-layer cryptographic discovery and non-human identity (NHI) management. Its strength is continuous visibility into live network traffic – identifying cipher suites, certificate chains and protocol versions across enterprise environments in real time.
Where it is weaker: code repository scanning and HSM-level key inventory are not its primary surface. For organisations where the risk sits primarily in live network traffic and machine identities it is credible – but it needs supplementing for code-level or HSM discovery.
2. Keyfactor (with AgileSec Analytics)
Following Keyfactor’s 2025 acquisition of InfoSec Global, the AgileSec Analytics platform is now part of its offering. AgileSec is agent-based and host-centric – deploying lightweight sensors on endpoints or leveraging existing agents to scan file systems, registries and memory for cryptographic artifacts, keys, certificates and library versions.
NIST’s NCCoE has validated this approach as part of its PQC migration initiative. Where it is weaker: agent deployment across legacy core banking infrastructure adds operational complexity, and like most global platforms, it is not designed around Indian regulatory output requirements.
3. AppViewX AVX ONE
AppViewX introduced its PQC Assessment Tool in 2025, designed to scan across hybrid multi-cloud infrastructure and CI/CD pipelines. It performs static analysis on code repositories, examines software dependencies, inventories certificates and reviews configuration files.
Its output is notable: it generates a CycloneDX or CSV CBOM, computes a PQC readiness score, and provides step-by-step remediation guidance. CI/CD integration is a genuine differentiator for DevSecOps environments.
Where it is weaker: HSM and KMS integration is limited. For BFSI organisations where the most sensitive key material sits in hardware security modules, AVX ONE’s discovery will not reach it.
4. IBM Quantum Safe Explorer
IBM’s tool is code-focused, originally built around Java environments. It analyses source code and binaries to identify quantum-vulnerable cryptographic usage and produces CycloneDX CBOM output.
It is most useful as a code-level scanner for application portfolios. Its scope is narrower than the other platforms reviewed here – and it is increasingly delivered as part of the joint Keyfactor and IBM Consulting enterprise offering rather than as a standalone product.
5. Encryption Consulting CBOM Secure
Encryption Consulting’s platform is advisory-led and compliance-focused, with strong depth on PKI and certificate inventory. Its primary strength is producing structured compliance documentation rather than automated scanning across all discovery surfaces. For organisations needing well-structured evidence for regulatory frameworks it is a credible option – supplemented by broader scanning for complete surface coverage.
What Indian BFSI need to evaluate differently
Every platform reviewed here was built for global enterprise environments. For Indian BFSI organisations, three gaps appear consistently.
- Regulatory output alignment: CERT-In, SEBI CSCRF and RBI each have distinct evidence requirements. Global platforms produce generalised output that must be manually mapped to each framework – adding time, introducing error and creating audit risk.
- Data residency: Indian BFSI organisations cannot route cryptographic inventory data through foreign cloud instances. Air-gapped VPC deployment or Indian-region hosting is a compliance requirement. None of the platforms reviewed offer this natively.
- HSM coverage: Core banking environments in India run significant cryptographic operations through on-premise HSMs. Discovery that does not reach HSM key metadata is materially incomplete for Indian banking organisations.
The global PQC scanning and cryptographic discovery tools market is maturing. The platforms reviewed here are credible for international enterprise environments. For Indian BFSI organisations, the evaluation criteria have to go further – output mapped to CERT-In, SEBI CSCRF and RBI requirements, and deployment that keeps cryptographic inventory data on Indian infrastructure.
CyberNX CBOM and PQC solutions are built specifically for this environment – scanning across network, code, artifacts and HSM/KMS, producing CycloneDX output aligned to Indian regulatory frameworks, and deploying fully within Indian infrastructure. Speak to our team about where these global tools leave gaps for your organisation.
PQC scanning and cryptographic discovery tools FAQs
Do any of these tools produce CERT-In compliant CBOM output natively?
AppViewX and IBM Quantum Safe Explorer produce CycloneDX output, which is the format CERT-In specifies. However, producing CycloneDX output is not the same as mapping to CERT-In’s specific field requirements and risk scoring expectations. Review the output schema against CERT-In Technical Guidelines Version 2.0 before assuming compliance.
Can these tools be deployed on Indian infrastructure?
None of the platforms reviewed offer air-gapped VPC deployment or dedicated Indian-region hosting as a standard option. For Indian BFSI organisations with data residency requirements under RBI and SEBI frameworks, this is a material evaluation gap.
