Security News

Arqit released the first version of its service, QuantumCloud 1.0. This Platform‑as‑a‑Service software enables customers to secure the communications channels and data of any cloud, edge or...

Confidence that quantum computers will solve major problems that are beyond the reach of traditional computers-a milestone known as quantum advantage-has grown fast in the past twelve months, according to a new report by Boston Consulting Group. Investors are moving aggressively to increase the amount they allocate to quantum computing, with two-thirds of all equity investments in the field coming since 2018.

As per the findings of a revised market research by Persistence Market Research, the worldwide quantum computing market insight reached a valuation of around $5.6 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to surge at a CAGR of 33.7% over the next ten years. Major companies are developing quantum computers focused on delivering free access to their quantum systems through cloud platforms, with the objective of creating awareness and a community for developers working on quantum computing technology.

These two threats already combine to make common encryption less secure than we like to believe and with the power of quantum computing, it will only get worse. Shor's algorithm can use quantum computing to factor large RSA numbers exponentially faster than any other method and it doesn't require a full-scale general purpose quantum computer.

Qrypt unveiled its Quantum Data at Rest application. QDAR provides one-time pad encryption as a data-at-rest solution for companies to secure important files, proprietary information and all mission-critical data.

The Luxembourg's Quantum Communications Infrastructure project, coordinated by the Department of Media, Telecommunications and Digital Policy of the Luxembourg Ministry of State, and supported by the European Space Agency and the Luxembourg Space Agency under the Luxembourg National LuxIMPULSE programme, will create a secure communications shield against cyber threats based on quantum technology. To design the LuxQCI, Luxembourg has put in place a consortium comprising InCert, itrust consulting, LuxConnect, LuxTrust and the University of Luxembourg, that is led by SES's fully-owned affiliate SES Techcom.

ADVA launched an optical transport solution secured by post-quantum cryptography. The FSP 3000 ConnectGuard optical encryption solution now protects data against cyberattacks from quantum computers that could break today's cryptographic algorithms.

Quantum security expert, mathematician and security researcher Dr Mark Carney explains there "Are a few fundamental requirements for QKD to work between Alice and Bob, these being a quantum key exchange protocol to guarantee the key exchange has a level of security, a quantum and classical channel between A and B, and the relevant hardware and control software for A and B to enact the protocol we started with." "They've had a lot of scrutiny, but they are generally considered to be solid protocols," Dr Carney says, "And when you see people claiming that 'quantum key exchange is totally secure and unhackable' there are a few things that are meant: that the key length is good, the protocol can detect someone eavesdropping on the quantum channel and the entropy of the system gives unpredictable keys, and the use of quantum states to encode these means they are tamper-evident."

Preparing for post-quantum cryptography is a paradox: on the one hand, we don't know for sure when, or perhaps even if, a large quantum computer will become available that can break all current public-key cryptography. The NIST report, Getting Ready For Post Quantum Cryptography, covers the development of an inventory and a migration playbook.

Will quantum cryptography mean the end of encryption? How was the FBI able to get bitcoins back in the Colonial Pipeline ransomware case? What is the ALPACA attack, and does it make your browsing less secure? Oh! No! of the week. LISTEN NOW. Click-and-drag on the soundwaves below to skip to any point in the podcast.