How quantum computers could break encryption

What is Quantum Computing?

Quantum computing is a type of computing that uses quantum-mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. So what does this mean? Traditional computers, like the one you're probably using right now, use bits that can represent either a 0 or a 1. But in quantum computing, instead of bits, they use quantum bits or "qubits" which can represent a 0, a 1, or both at the same time. This is known as superposition.

Image of a quantum computer

Additionally, qubits can be "entangled" which means that the state of one qubit can be linked to the state of another qubit, even if they're physically separated. This allows for operations to be performed on multiple qubits simultaneously, which can greatly speed up certain types of computations.

So, in short, quantum computing uses qubits that can represent multiple states at once and can be entangled to perform operations on data in a way that's not possible with traditional computers.

How does modern-day encryption work

Modern encryption algorithms work by using mathematical functions that are difficult to reverse without the correct key. These algorithms rely on the fact that it is computationally infeasible for a traditional computer to perform certain calculations in a reasonable amount of time. However, quantum computers have the potential to break many of these encryption algorithms using a process called Shor's algorithm.

Shor's algorithm uses the properties of quantum computing to find the prime factors of large numbers, which is the foundation of many encryption algorithms. If a quantum computer were to run Shor's algorithm, it could quickly factorize large numbers that are used in encryption keys, rendering the encryption useless. This means that many of the current encryption methods that protect sensitive information, such as banking and government data, could be vulnerable to attacks from quantum computers.

What could happen if encryption is broken?

1. Privacy would be comprimised

   Encryption is used to protect sensitive data when it is stored and to protect data in transit. You are probably using encryption right now to view this website. On this website, someone being able to see what you are sending and receiving from the websites wouldn’t be a problem. However, the case would be different if you were talking about a bank or other website that handles very sensitive information.

2. Economic impact

   Many industries rely in encryption to protect their trade secrets. If the encryption protecting them gets broken. This could mean the secret is no longer a secret.

3. National Security

   Governments and militaries use encryption to protect. Specifically, AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is widely used by the military and governments as well. The U.S Government set this algorithm as the standard algorithm for protecting classified information. The NSA (National Security Agency) also certified AES for protecting classified information up to the “Top Secret” level. It is currently believed that it is possible for this type of encryption to be broken by quantum computers. However, the type of quantum computer that would be able to crack the AES encryption has not yet been made.

4. Technological Advancement

   The positive side could be that having encryption that would be able to be broken would mean that there could be a boost in the development of new encryption algorithms that could combat such attacks.

How far away is this possibility?

The reality of quantum computers breaking encryption currently isn’t a reality. There is a chance that quantum computers will never be able to break encryption as NIST is working on new encryption standards that wouldn’t be vulnerable to being broken by quantum computers.

Some experts suggest that the algorithms that we are using today may be able to be broken in the next 10 to 20 years. However, I think that as that time gets closer we would have probably moved on from the current algorithms.

Conclusion

Overall, quantum computers could potentially break modern encryption, which could have serious consequences for cybersecurity. While quantum computing technology is still in its early stages, it is important to continue researching and developing quantum-resistant encryption methods to ensure the safety of sensitive information.