Algorithms are the building blocks that, when combined, create a cryptographic fortress that protects against hackers. As quantum computers become more powerful, these building blocks must adapt to keep our information safe. (Image credit: Supertotto)
Quantum computers are coming. And with them, the approach to protecting confidential information will change.
Unlike traditional computers, quantum computers use the effects of quantum mechanics — such as superposition and entanglement — to process and store data in forms that go beyond the binary units that are digital bits. These “quantum bits,” or qubits, could unlock enormous amounts of computing power.
This means that quantum computers can solve complex problems that have long baffled scientists, such as modeling the behavior of subatomic particles or solving the traveling salesman problem, which involves finding the shortest route between several cities and returning to the starting point. But this power could also give hackers a strategic advantage.
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“Like many powerful technologies, [quantum computing] can be used for good or bad purposes,” Rebecca Krauthamer, a technology ethicist and CEO of cybersecurity company QuSecure, told Live Science. “It can also be used for bad purposes.”
When affordable quantum computers first hit the market, most people — even large organizations — will still rely on traditional computers. So cryptographers need to develop methods to protect data from powerful quantum machines using software that can run on a regular laptop.
This is where post-quantum comes into play.
Sourse: www.livescience.com
