Quantum computers are housed in research universities, government offices, and premier scientific firms and, save in exceptional cases, are out of reach of unscrupulous actors. However, this is not always the case.
As research into quantum computers advances, there is rising concern that these computers will soon be able to break existing cryptography. To protect against these powerful machines, all current data encryption technologies would become obsolete, necessitating the development of new cryptographic methods.
While the concept of quantum computers is not new, the discourse surrounding them has grown in recent months as a result of ongoing federal activity.
President Biden issued a national security memorandum in May 2022 outlining the government’s efforts to address quantum computing security risks. The Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act, enacted by the United States House of Representatives in June, requires government agencies to convert information technology systems to post-quantum cryptography. If you want you can also read – How Technology Has Helped Build the Modern Gaming Industry?
This legislation (PDF), which still needs to be approved by the United States Senate, builds on the National Institutes of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) ongoing efforts to develop post-quantum cryptography standards. In July 2022, NIST revealed its first four quantum-proof algorithms. Not long after, the NIST-recommended CRYSTALS-Kyber public-key encryption and key encapsulation technique was defeated utilizing AI and side channel attacks.
The Potential of Quantum Computing
These days, complexity makes it difficult for even the most powerful computers to crack security keys. Even in the best-case conditions, it would take a system years to decipher the standard keys. Because of this, encryption serves as an effective security barrier.
Years could be drastically reduced to a few hours thanks to quantum computing. Despite the fact that it can easily become complex, many widely used public-key encryption techniques, including RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and elliptic curve, may one day be very easy for quantum computers to crack.
In this case, the good news is that commercial quantum computing is still a ways off. Future code-breaking quantum computers, according to a National Academies research, will require 100,000 times more processing power and a 100 times better error rate. The time for these upgrades may be more than ten years away, but security leaders must start planning for them now.
If we wait until those potent quantum computers start decrypting our encryption, it will be too late.
Using Defense in Depth
While quantum-based assaults are still possible in the future, companies must consider how to protect data in transit when encryption is no longer effective. Best practices include network segmentation, the use of 5G private networks, and the use of Zero Trust architectures.
Data at rest must also be secured by organizations. Many databases include encryption, which may become obsolete in the future. Organizations may need to keep sensitive data offline or re-encrypt old files as newer encryption technologies become available.
Everything is encrypted right now, from browser cache to password managers to local Outlook email folders. If such encryption is broken, businesses may need to reduce their overall distribution to limit risk, at least until better quantum encryption is developed.
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The Road Forward
The growing fear of a quantum-related hack is not just not imminent, but it is also not baseless. Cyber security experts must remain adaptable in the face of emerging threats and paradigm shifts. While we go on to the next challenge, let us remember to maintain a solid foundation.
We are headed toward a future with quantum computing, therefore prepare your organization now for this growing hazard while also dealing with the other threats that affect your business today. A defense-in-depth strategy functions as a buffer against various attack vectors. It provides companies with comprehensive coverage and a strong protection against a variety of assaults.
