Category Archives: Quantum Computer
A banner year for quantum computing: What to expect in 2024 – SiliconRepublic.com
Sectigos Tim Callan makes his top predictions for what the year ahead will hold for quantum computing and encryption.
2023 was the year that quantum computing entered the average persons lexicon. From government-backed funding to advancements by major players like IBM, quantum has become the buzzword on everyones mind, after artificial intelligence of course.
Quantum computers are no longer a science project, they are now an engineering project. By that, I mean that there is no question that it will work, and it will be commercially viable, and it will be practical. Its just about figuring out how to get them all tuned in the way we want them. Its important, therefore, to look at where quantum computing could be by the end of 2024.
RSA is one of the oldest cryptosystems out there and is widely in use, specifically for secure data transmission. 2024 will see the RSA encryption algorithm face unprecedented scrutiny as researchers around the world intensify their endeavors to break the security backbone of the internet. Although RSA is not expected to succumb, it will undoubtedly grapple with an immense amount of pressure.
Quantum computers stand to defeat RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC), and qualified researchers are putting energy into finding the strategies to most effectively do so. This research can piggyback on thinking about how to defeat RSA with a traditional computer as well. After all, any attacker with access to quantum computing will also have access to all the traditional architecture computing it needs.
We should expect continued revelations in the years to come, which will reduce the time to computation for RSA on a variety of fronts. While these attacks on their own are deeply unlikely to bring that time to computation down to the point where they represent viable attack vectors against the key sizes we commonly use today, they will fuel additional research and ultimately will contribute to the optimised quantum-based attack that we will one day understand.
While the siege on RSA encryption is underway, it is crucial to acknowledge that the encryption method itself is robust and has withstood more than 40 years of technological innovation. This is not being challenged. We will see, however, continued scrutiny of this algorithm in preparation for the day when a quantum computer can execute such an attack.
We will see continued scrutiny of the idea of applying traditional methods to the quantum platform, and we will see full consideration of hybrid attacks using both architectures together. While we dont expect a computer to be able to perform these attacks in 2024, the trend toward that eventual day will continue with additional published papers and revelations about how to break this bulwark of digital security.
In 2024, transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography will become a mainstream boardroom discussion. No longer a buzzword or a topic to be tabled, becoming crypto-agile to prepare for post-quantum encryption will be a key focus for the C-suite next year.
This shift has massively been supported by the US National Institute of Standards and Technologys (NIST) development of quantum-resistant encryption and its impactful educational campaign on quantums threat to decryption. They have now transformed a once theoretical discussion about decryption into a mainstream business focus.
Enterprises will sit up and take notice of the threat quantum computers pose to the cryptography that enables and secures nearly all our digital operations today. In 2024, large enterprises, particularly those in sensitive industries such as financial, medical, or military contractors, and businesses with high-value intellectual property will begin building roadmaps for deployment of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to keep their assets and operations safe from this new computing paradigm. This accompanies a general increase in focus on automation of cryptography and certificates, certificate life cycle management and crypto agility.
The recent statement in the UKs autumn budget by the chancellor of the exchequer showcased the countrys commitment to the quantum strategy they outlined earlier in the year.
While commendable, Jeremy Hunts earnestness in the 10-year quantum plan falls short when it comes to a sustained commitment to safeguarding encryption security. The paradox is evident while the remarkable processing power of quantum holds boundless potential, it simultaneously poses a significant threat to the foundation of all encryption.
We must not forget the security challenges associated with this advanced technology. If a country does develop a quantum computer capable of breaking current encryption methods, it would likely keep it a closely guarded state secret, as the UK did when it broke the Enigma code during World War II. For this reason, businesses must take proactive measures to prepare for this eventuality by transitioning to quantum-safe algorithms before it is too late.
Think about those industrial secrets that, lets say, another nation state might want to take away. Think about those military secrets. Think about the plans for the stealth fighter. Those are the things that are very, very valuable. And those are the things that we need to worry about most immediately.
Back in June of this year, IBM claimed that quantum computers were entering a period where they would become useful for businesses, calling it the utility phase. Over the next 12 months, businesses will have to prove to themselves and others that they are capable of handling the enormous opportunity that quantum computers will bring. Doing that requires them to be compliant and secure at every level.
By Tim Callan
Tim Callan is the chief experience officer at Sectigo, a company that provides web security and identity solutions.
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A banner year for quantum computing: What to expect in 2024 - SiliconRepublic.com
Quantum’s threat to encryption is the new Y2K threat – FierceElectronics
The potential for quantum computing to break classical computer security is spurring efforts to reimagine it, but fortunately theres time before bad actors can cost-effectively exploit quantum to do much damage.
Cracking currently used cryptosystems was one of the first famous applications of quantum computing, and has been viewed as a good accident, Hari Krovi, lead scientist at Riverlane, told Fierce Electronics in an interview. It's great that we know that this can crack cryptography.
He said this discovery has spurred research in into post-quantum cryptosystems those computers that will remain that secure in the quantum era, which The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. is tracking as it works to solidify standards.
Error correction capabilities key to quantum applications advances
Riverlane is focused on solving error correction, which Krovi said is quantum computings defining challenge, by building a quantum error correction stack to enable fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Part of this work is the estimation of resources needed for different quantum computing applications like simulations of physical systems, and how many fault-tolerant operations will be needed for any given application, he said. This informs you how soon or how far away applications are.
These estimates include the ability to cost-effectively use quantum computing to hack classical computing security. Krovi said finding new quantum algorithms is not so easy, and you want those algorithms to be better than what is already available. We have many constraints. He said theres not much point in building a quantum computer to do the same thing as an existing supercomputer.
Knowing that quantum computers could break current cryptography has heightened the need to get a clear understanding what quantum computing is capable of.
In the meantime, developing security that can protect systems from quantum computing threats is not unlike the Y2K problem we have advance warning that theres a problem that needs to be fixed.
Scott Best, technical director at Rambus, said the problem is that public key algorithms are based on math, and quantum computers love math. That means some common security public-key cryptosystems like RSA (RivestShamirAdleman) are more vulnerable than the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or Secure Hash Algorithms (SHA). There's no like equation that describes what AES does, he explained. It doesn't have a lot to do with math.
Rambus recently introduced its Quantum Safe Engine (QSE) for integration into hardware security elements in ASICs, SoCs and FPGAs in recognition that quantum computers will enable bad actors to break current asymmetric encryption. The QSE IP core uses NIST-selected quantum-resistant algorithms.
Best said cryptographers began seriously thinking about the quantum threat about six years ago with the expectation that quantum computing systems capable of cracking classical cryptography will be coming online in 2030. We need to adapt new algorithms, he said.
It also means updating the entire Internet, Best said. Every browser session uses a key exchange mechanism, he said. We need to update all those firmware mechanisms. We need to revoke all the keys that are out there.
The good new is that standards work has been in progress for some time. NIST put out a call for proposals in 2016 to find the best quantum-safe schemes to become the new cryptographic standards. The two primary standards the were chosen are the CRYSTALS-Kyber public-key encryption and the CRYSTALS-Dilithium digital signature algorithms.
Quantum-safe cryptography standards substitute the math problems that are easy for quantum computers to solve with math problems that are difficult for both classical and quantum computers to solve.
Hardware-level security is table stakes
Although these standards havent quite yet been finalized, Rambus has incorporated them into hardware accelerators, Best said. We come from an environment where we do not trust software, he said. Software is always suspect.
Best said a critical cryptographic operation should be done with tamper resistant hardware.
Its also important that any added layer of security, whether its at the hardware or software level, doesnt impede performance. If you're setting up a key exchange, you want the key exchange to complete in 100 milliseconds, Best said. You don't want the key exchange to take several hours that feel like dial-up.
These layers at the hardware level not only need to be done quickly, but also at low power, Codasip safety and security architect Carl Shaw told Fierce Electronics in an interview. Codasip is a processor technology company focused on enabling system-on-chip developers to differentiate their products, and that includes security features such as quantum resistant algorithms. There's many ways we can customize the CPU, he said.
One approach is to customize the actual core by adding instructions to provide an advantage on the numerical computing side because all these algorithms are very compute heavy, Shaw said. We could also inherently change the micro architecture of the processor itself to make it more efficient to handle these sorts of computations or integrate in specific bits of hardware to help.
Quantum could spot security vulnerabilities sooner
Codasip recently released its Capability Hardware Enhanced RISC Instructions (CHERI) security technology, which extends conventional hardware Instruction-Set Architectures (ISAs) with architectural features that enable fine-grained memory protection and highly scalable software compartmentalization. More simply, CHERI stops unsafe memory access that causes 70% of vulnerabilities.
Shaw said Codasip is keeping an eye on the specific bits of the quantum algorithms being used today, and so far, actual implementations are somewhat simple.
As much as quantum presents a threat to classical computing cryptography, Shaw thinks in the longer term that quantum computing will be valuable for identifying security vulnerabilities. We're going to have something that is a lot more robust than what we have today.
Rambus Best said its going to take time replace the existing public key infrastructure and revoke everything, but the technical community is doing the right thing. Everybody recognizes the problem, he said. It's a bit of a race, but we think we can fix it.
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Quantum's threat to encryption is the new Y2K threat - FierceElectronics
‘It’s very powerful’: The promise and potential of quantum computers – AOL
TAMPA, Fla. - Quantum computers are still in development, but the early developments show how this emerging technology can transform our world in ways we cant even fully predict.
"Honestly, they're not 100% sure what exactly they're going to be able to use it for yet except that its very powerful and can generate very complex numbers," said Toms Hardware Editor Tom Freedman.
To understand what a quantum computer is and how it works, lets start with traditional computers.
RELATED: The Quantum Leaps physicists made in science and how it's changing our lives
The computers we use today work by transmitting and receiving rapid pulses of electricity. Those electrical pulses carry intricate codes in a string of zeroes and ones that flow in and out of the chips (or brains) of our computers.
The chips coordinate, interpret and transmit the codes to our monitors to form images, to apps to perform calculations, etc.
A quantum computer uses subatomic particles within tiny circuits called Qubits, and those particles or Qubits that are entangled (or linked together), so they connect and function in tandem. And as strange as it sounds as we learned from the laws of quantum mechanics those subatomic particles are also in different positions at the same time.
"When you have a traditional computer, its on or off. It uses these things called bits: 1-0, on-off, yes-no," Freedman noted. "Quantum computing is both on and off at the same time. Its this weird head space. They'll stack these things called cubits together. And in really cold rooms, they can use them to measure multiple values at once using quantum mechanics."
READ: Mint Mobile informs customers about a security data breach
In other words, a Qubit can multitask in ways a traditional computer cannot.
Scientists hope these exponentially faster and more powerful Qubits could give us precise times and locations of natural disasters, develop far more advanced medicine, solve our traffic woes, help us take the next giant leaps in space and help us reign in the effects of climate change.
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'It's very powerful': The promise and potential of quantum computers - AOL
Quantum Computing Breakthrough: DARPA and Harvard Collaboration – Medriva
The future of computing as we know it is on the cusp of a monumental shift, thanks to a recent breakthrough in quantum computing technology. This advancement, brought about by a unique collaboration between the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Harvard University, has the potential to accelerate the actualization of quantum computing by several years. The implications of this development are substantial, promising significant advancements in computing power and technological innovation.
The collaboration between DARPA and Harvard aims to address the fundamental challenges of scaling and error correction in quantum computing. These are crucial parameters for the practical implementation of this technology. A team led by Harvard and supported by DARPA has made significant strides in these areas. They have developed novel logical qubits that could enable the creation of scalable quantum computers.
In a first-of-its-kind achievement, the team created a quantum circuit with logical quantum bits (qubits), utilizing arrays of noisy physical Rydberg qubits. They developed techniques to create error-correcting logical qubits and built quantum circuits with around 48 Rydberg logical qubits in their laboratory. This advancement opens up the possibility of rapidly scaling the number of logical qubits.
Traditionally, it has been believed that millions of physical qubits are needed before a fault-tolerant quantum computer can be developed. However, this breakthrough has challenged this traditional view. By 2025, the QuEra team anticipates having between 10,000 to 100,000 physical qubits and 100 error-corrected qubits with very low error rates. This could potentially lead to commercially viable quantum error-corrected computer systems by 2028.
DARPA has selected Microsoft Corporation and PsiQuantum to advance to the next phase of the US2QC program. This program aims to ascertain whether an underexplored approach to quantum computing can achieve utility-scale operation. The goal is to develop and defend a system design for a fault-tolerant prototype, demonstrating that a utility-scale quantum computer can be constructed and operated as intended.
The breakthrough also underscores the urgent need for agencies and companies to transition from long-standing encryption protocols to Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to resist rapidly advancing quantum computers. PQC is designed to address the threat posed by quantum computers to existing encryption. Implementing the new cryptography algorithms in actual code and ensuring it works is a critical step in this process. Agencies and companies are urged to take proactive steps to address the issue, rather than waiting for cybersecurity vendors to come up with a PQC implementation.
The impact of quantum computing on digital devices and the urgency for the migration to PQC cannot be overstated. This breakthrough, along with the initiatives by DARPA and its partners, is reshaping the future of computing and technology. We are on the brink of a new era, and the potential advancements it promises are truly exciting.
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Quantum Computing Breakthrough: DARPA and Harvard Collaboration - Medriva
TEDxUWMadison introduces new AI ideas with talks from four experts – The Badger Herald
President of TEDxUWMadison Melina Zaraboulas led the way in organizing four speakers for the University of Wisconsins first TEDxUWMadison talk since 2020. On Nov. 6, students and faculty gathered at Tripp Commons to listen to Sharon Li, Martin Lichtman, Patrick McDaniel and Lori Mazor all experts in AI.
The University of Wisconsin had not hosted a TEDx event since 2020. While the 2020 talks revolved around life after the COVID-19 pandemic, this years talks shone a light on the endless possibilities that await due to new advancements in AI.
Sharon Li is now Assistant Professor of Computer Sciences at UW, following the completion of her Ph.D. and postdoctorate at Cornell and Stanford, respectively. Lis research investigates the algorithmic and theoretical foundations of safety when using AI in the open world, according to TEDxUWMadison.
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Lis talk revolved around the research she conducts at UW focusing on achieving safety and practicality in AI when unexpected situations arise. She highlighted the egregious errors AI is capable of without proper preparation.
Our ideal scenario is one where the AI system can recognize such unfamiliar situations and flag them for human intervention. Its the key to ensuring safety and trust in the age of AI, Li said during her talk.
Quantum mechanic Martin Lichtman focuses his research on quantum computing, according to TEDxUWMadison. Lichtman completed his doctorate at UW and followed it with post-doctoral research at the Joint Quantum Institute. Lichtman takes properties from the physical world and utilizes complex reality to solve complex problems.
In Lichtmans talk, he explained the principles of quantum computing and how it enables a higher level of computing. Lichtman raved about examples of advanced computing, such as quantum simulation for solving complex problems in fields like chemistry and materials science. He embraces the importance of understanding what he calls quantum perspective.
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Is the math hard? Some of it, yes, but Ill let you in on a little secret about quantum computing it is the easiest possible subset of quantum mechanics, and thats by design. We take a complicated natural system and engineer it down to just two energy levels so we dont have to include all the rest in our calculations, Lichtman said during his talk.
UW Tsun-Ming Shih Professor of Computer Sciences Patrick McDaniels extensive background includes serving as the program manager and lead scientist for the Army Research Laboratorys Cyber-Security Collaborative Research Alliance for five years, according to TEDxUWMadison. His research spans computer and network security to technical public policy.
McDaniel provided a different perspective on AI in his talk by posing two key questions whether adversaries can use AI and whether adversaries can exploit AI. He illustrated the functionality of AI while bringing to attention the challenges and vulnerabilities of AI.
The uses [of AI] will be compelling and may solve things like hunger and disease and foster a renaissance in all areas of human endeavor. However, we need to think about when and how we use AI. We need to understand AIs weaknesses, vulnerabilities and potential failures, as well as develop norms, public policy, and law to protect people and society, McDaniel said in his talk.
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Lori Mazor illuminated yet another route of AI challenges and opportunities with her experience as founder and CEO of Synthetivity, a consulting firm that teaches about Generative Artificial Intelligence. Synthetivity pioneered an intersection between AI and creativity. According to TEDxUWMadison, Mazor has an extensive background in business and architecture which has enabled an effective production of Generative AI.
Mazors talk took a humanitarian approach. She expressed the importance of understanding what AI can teach society about humanity. She used an analogy of temperature to illustrate how AI can operate in different environments or conditions and under different motivations.
In computers, temperature has two polarities cold is precise, hot is random. Algorithms act as a thermostat, dialing the operating temperature, Mazor said in her talk.
UW has been hosting TEDxUWMadison talks since 2012 and is proud to have hosted the first talk post-pandemic. Past talks can be found on the TEDxUWMadison website.
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TEDxUWMadison introduces new AI ideas with talks from four experts - The Badger Herald
Year in Review: The Big Stories That Rocked Quantum Research And Quantum Business in 2023 – The Quantum Insider
In this list well take a look at some of the major news developments in the quantum industry by category research, business, and national.
From all indications, investment in the quantum industry quieted in 2023, compared to the explosion of funding rounds in 2021/22. Most industries, besides artificial intelligence, experienced this trend during the year.
However, this relative quiet was interrupted with some major funding news, which well touch on below.
On the research and development end of the quantum industry, it was anything but quiet. Quantum scientists from both companies and research institutions as well as many industry-academic collaborations made unprecedented progress during the year.
Here are just a few of the stories that rocked quantum in 2023.
QuEra Computing, the leader in neutral-atom quantum computers, announced a significant breakthrough published in the scientific journal Nature. In experiments led by Harvard University in close collaboration with QuEra Computing, MIT, and NIST/UMD, researchers successfully executed large-scale algorithms on an error-corrected quantum computer with 48 logical qubits and hundreds of entangling logical operations. This advancement, a significant leap in quantum computing, sets the stage for developing truly scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computers that could solve practical classically intractable problems.
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Quantinuum scientists and engineers annoounce the controlled creation and manipulation of nonAbelian anyons.The control of nonAbelian anyons is considered a promising path to using topological qubits for a fault tolerant quantum computer.
The company scientists suggested that this advance provides a robust pathway towards scalable quantum computation.
Tony Uttley, then President and COO of Quantinuum, said of the achievment: With our secondgeneration system, we are entering a new phase of quantum computing. H2 highlights the opportunity to achieve valuable outcomes that are only possible with a quantum computer. The development of the H2 processor is also a critical step in moving towards universal fault tolerant quantum computing.
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Rice University physicists have shown that immutable topological states, which are highly sought for quantum computing, can be entangled with other, manipulable quantum states in some materials.
The surprising thing we found is that in a particular kind of crystal lattice, where electrons become stuck, the strongly coupled behavior of electrons in datomic orbitalsactually act like the f orbital systems of some heavy fermions, saidQimiao Si, co-author ofa study about the researchinScience Advances.
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The 1,000-qubit device has been set as a waymarker on the roadmap of many quantum computer makers. Atom Computing announced in October that it created a 1,225-site atomic array, populated with 1,180 qubits, in its next-generation quantum computing platform.
This is the first time the 1,000-qubit threshold for a universal gate-based system has been crossed, according to the company.
It marks an industry milestone toward fault-tolerant quantum computers capable of solving large-scale problems.
The company uses nuclear spin qubits formed from arrays of optically-trapped neutral atoms. Company officials said in the news release that the device officially would be released in 2024.
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IBM announced a series of updates that mark a pivotal shift in the technologys trajectory, adding that it brings quantum utility the point when quantum can be used to handle practical computational challenges closer.
The company unveiled two new quantum computers at IBM Quantum Summit that promise to be the biggest and most efficient ever built. The first, called Condor, has well over 1,000 quantum bits, or qubits and the second, Heron is billed as one of IBMs least error-prone devices. They also revealed major advances withexperiments in error mitigation on superconducting quantum processors.
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VTT Technical Research Centre of Finlandand the European leader in building quantum computers,IQM Quantum Computers,have completed Finlands second quantum computer. The new 20-qubit quantum computer further strengthens Finlands position among the countries investing into quantum computing. Finland completed its first quantum computer, a 5-qubit one, in 2021.
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NVIDIA is typically associated with gaming and artificial intelligence. This year, it became more focused than ever with quantum, joining partnerships with quantum companies, including, for example, SandboxAQ, which will use NVIDIAs quantum platforms to simulate quantum mechanics for chemistry, materials science and tensor network investigations. NVIDIA also announced new architecture in a collaboration with Quantum Machines,
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DistriQ, Quantum Innovation Zone, based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, is proud to announce the creation of the Quantum Studio and its partnership with Quantonation Ventures and ACET (Acclrateur de Cration dEntreprises Technologiques). The Quantum Studio is a startup studio and support structure specifically designed to enable quantum innovators to research, develop, and refine their projects with the aim of creating new and unique technology solutions for customers.
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Photonic Inc., a company building one of the worlds first scalable, fault-tolerant, and unified quantum computing and networking platforms based on photonically linked silicon spin qubits, announced it has raised an investment round of $100M USD. The funds were raised from organizations including British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), Microsoft Corporation, the UK governments National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), Inovia Capital, and Amadeus Capital Partners. This brings the companys total funding raised to date to $140M USD.
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PASQAL, a leader in neutral atoms quantum computing, announced it secured a 100 million equity Series B raise led by new investor Temasek, a global investment company headquartered in Singapore. Other new investors include the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Waed Ventures and Bpifrance, through its Large Venture Fund. Continuing investors include Quantonation, the Defense Innovation Fund, Daphni and Eni Next.
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OQC announced that SBI Investment, Japans premier venture capital fund, is leading OQCs $100m Series B raise. New investors in the round have been confirmed in addition to existing investors, Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE), University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC), Lansdowne Partners, and OTIF, acted by manager Oxford Investment Consultants (OIC).
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Q-CTRL, a global leader in developing useful quantum technologies through quantum control infrastructure software, announced the addition of Morpheus Ventures as a new investor in their record-setting Series B funding round, which has raised $54 million USD.
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Zapata Computing, Inc. (Zapata AI or the Company), the Industrial Generative AI software company developing solutions and applications to solve enterprises hardest problems, and Andretti Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: WNNR), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Zapata AI becoming a U.S. publicly listed company. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company is expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol ZPTA.
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The UK government identified quantum technologies as a top priority for the next decade and explained this focus in its National Quantum Strategy released on March 14.
Released by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the strategy calls out the significant potential benefits for the economy, society and the environment.
Quantum technologies leverage atomic-scale phenomena to manipulate information and solve complex problems that currently vex the most powerful classical computers. These technologies offer solutions to some of the greatest societal challenges and have the potential to transform healthcare, energy infrastructure, transportation, environmental monitoring, and national security.
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South Korea has unveiled a strategic plan to invest more than 3 trillion won ($2.33 billion) in quantum science and technology with the aim of establishing itself as a global leader in the field, according to the South Korean news site Pulse. The announcement came from Science and ICT Minister Lee Jong-ho during a conference on quantum technology and science.
Under the plan, South Korea intends to significantly increase the number of quantum researchers, aiming for a seven-fold rise to 2,500 by 2035. The news site reported that the strategy reflects discussions between President Yoon Suk Yeol and quantum scholars at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich earlier this year, making it the first national strategy to encompass a long-term vision for quantum science and technology.
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Year in Review: The Big Stories That Rocked Quantum Research And Quantum Business in 2023 - The Quantum Insider
The Quantum Leap: Revolutionizing Computing and Its Impact – Medium
Supercomputers have their limitations. Fortunately, a new technology is emerging. Its the quantum computer, utilizing phenomena at the atomic and subatomic levels.Quantum computer Chalmers [Photo: Anita Fors (Chalmers), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons]
Our civilization largely operates today due to computers and the data they process. However, when significant computational power is required, the existing silicon-based technology falls short. Hence, companies like IBM, Google, Microsoft, Alibaba, and a few others are currently working on prototype inventions. This is about quantum computing.
Major companies understand that whoever first masters quantum computations will gain a significant advantage over competitors. Computers based on this technology will be able to swiftly sift through massive amounts of data. They will also enable modeling complex physical or biochemical phenomena.
Quantum computers perform computations not on bits, which can hold values of 0 or 1, but on so-called qubits. These can hold different values simultaneously. Scientists leverage the principles governing the world of elementary particles to create computational machines.
Conventional computers conduct calculations on sequences of bits zeros and ones. Quantum computers employ quantum bits or qubits, which can assume both these values simultaneously this is called superposition. This exponential increase in computational power occurs as a result. Quantum computers can perform operations in one fell swoop that would take classical machines an enormous amount of time. Qubits can be constructed from individual elementary particles like electrons, atoms, or slightly larger entities loops of superconductors through which current flows incessantly.
In the realm of quantum physics, there exists a strange and not entirely understood relationship between elementary particles such as electrons. When we entangle them (for example, by bringing them close together), their fates become closely intertwined. If we then alter the properties of one, the other
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The Quantum Leap: Revolutionizing Computing and Its Impact - Medium
How to Pave the Way for Quantum-Secure Encryption – Infosecurity Magazine
The threat posed by quantum computing is no longer a distant concern but an imminent reality. Experts believe so-called Q-Day, the point at which quantum computers will be able to break existing encryption algorithms, could be just a few years away.
The power of quantum computing offers huge social and economic benefits, as highlighted in the UK governments National Quantum Strategy, published in November 2023. However, the strategy emphasized that the technologys potential to undermine current cryptography used to secure internet data is a national security challenge that must be overcome to realise this potential.
It's fair to say that the threat is real, it could break the internet, Rob Clyde, Board Director at ISACA, told Infosecurity.
The implications of attackers being able to break current public key cryptography (PKC) algorithms, which provide secure sessions on browsers, secure transactions and digital signatures, are manifold, he explained.
It means you have the double threat of attackers being able to spy on data and inject signatures into the process, noted Clyde.
In addition, experts believe that threat actors are already leveraging quantum by undertaking harvest now, decrypt later attacks.
It is crucial that organizations are aware of the data security implications of advances in quantum computing and know how to mitigate this looming danger.
Governments and the tech industry are currently engaged in efforts to facilitate the migration towards post-quantum cryptography (PQC), aiming to have these encryption protocols rolled out widely before Q-Day strikes.
This will be a massive undertaking, given the scale and reliance on the internet.
The threat that quantum computers pose to current PKC standards is global and not something that any one organization can tackle on their own, commented Marc Manzano, General Manager of Quantum Security at SandboxAQ.
One of the most significant initiatives is the US National Institute of Standards and Technologys (NIST) publication of draft post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards in August 2023. The draft documents outline three Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and incorporate the four encryption algorithms NIST had previously selected to form its PQC standard.
The encryption algorithms selected include:
It is expected that the standards will become the global benchmark for quantum-resistant cybersecurity across the world in 2024.
Clyde said that once these draft standards become official open-source and proprietary software will begin implementing the algorithms rapidly.
He added that SSL certificates for websites will be quickly updated with the new algorithms.
The UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidelines set out how organizations can migrate their systems to PQC based on the NIST standards.
Several industry-led entities focused on driving PQC awareness and adoption have also been created. This includes the PQC coalition, a body that aims to bring together industry, academia and governments.
Manzano explained: As of now [the coalition] has four dedicated workstreams focused on advancing standardization efforts, education, implementation and modernization of cryptography management, respectively.
NIST and other entities involved in this space have worked to homogenize security and interoperability with the new PQC algorithms and concepts. Nevertheless, Philip George, Executive Technical Strategist at Merlin Cyber,noted that even small-scale cryptographic transitions have proven to be complex undertakings to plan and execute.
The migration to PQC will be the largest cryptographic migration in the history of computing, so the potential for the loss of availability for affected systems remains high, he outlined.
Much of the migration will be completed automatically, for example in browsers. However, Clyde said that organizations implementing software must ensure they have a process for picking up the new algorithms as they come through.
The first step organizations should take is to educate themselves on the guidance offered by the entities involved in the development of quantum-secure cryptography. For example, George advised referencing the CISA/NSA Quantum-Readiness factsheet, which recommends organizations pull together key representatives across their risk management program to establish a quantum readiness project team.
Another crucial action that should be taken now is to build a cryptographic inventory. This requires identifying every instance of cryptographic assets within the IT infrastructure, whether embedded in applications, filesystems or elsewhere.
Manzano noted: This will enable compliance and governance teams to control what cryptography is being used while, at the same time, offer remediation alternatives for the identified vulnerabilities present in the systems.
George emphasized that this inventory of cryptographic dependencies should include organizations supply chains.
In addition, having an understanding of the cryptographic systems being used across an enterprises systems will help address the very live threat of harvest now, decrypt later attacks. Clyde noted that quantum computers will struggle to decrypt certain types of symmetric encryption algorithms currently available, particularly AES 256.
Theres no need to wait on this, look for reencryption programs that will quickly move you into quantum-resistant symmetric algorithms such as AES 256, advised Clyde.
Following the inventory and discovery process, organizations need to incorporate cryptographic agility into targeted assets and systems. Manzano noted that organizations that require high-speed, low-latency operations, such as financial institutions and telecommunications providers, may have concerns about the impact PQC algorithms will have on network performance, operations, cost and the user experience.
Being able to conduct accurate benchmarking can give these organizations deeper insights into which algorithms offer the best balance of performance and security, enabling them to make informed business decisions and solidify their corporate cryptographic policies, he said.
George added that taking these steps now will reduce the time and effort to shift from one cryptographic standard to another and introduce new standards seamlessly.
There will be a lot of announcements to come regarding quantum computing both in terms of the threat posed by this technology and the initiatives to protect against such dangers.
Clyde said it is vital all organizations keep a close eye on updates from tech firms involved in this space, such as IBM and Google. In particular, pay attention when they state they are close to building a quantum computer that can break existing encryption algorithms.
Pay attention to the makers of quantum computing so youre not caught off guard when a sudden breakthrough occurs, Clyde said.
He noted that this is what happened with AI, where many people were taken by surprise by the launch of OpenAIs ChatGPT generative AI tool in November 2022.
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How to Pave the Way for Quantum-Secure Encryption - Infosecurity Magazine
What Quantum Computing Will Mean for the Future Artificial Intelligence – Medium
Todays artificial intelligence (AI) systems are only as good as the data theyre trained on. The AI industry is currently taking advantage of large datasets to train AI models and make them more useful. However, as these datasets are becoming limited, researchers are exploring other ways to improve AI algorithms. One such way is quantum computing. It is a new frontier of computer science that will enable better AI algorithms shortly.
Atoms make up our world, and they and their constituents have baffling yet interesting properties. For example, electrons have spin and orbit that can be either up. In addition, they can be in any of the infinite discrete energy levels. These properties determine the quantum states of atoms. At a subatomic level, everything exists as quantum states rather than as traditional logical on or off values. This phenomenon gave rise to quantum computing. It has the potential to change how we see artificial intelligence forever.
Quantum computing is an entirely different way of studying the world around us. It does not just focus on the properties of atoms and molecules. It takes a look at the subatomic properties of atoms that are actually in superposition. That is, they exist in multiple states at the same time. This is one of the principles of quantum mechanics that enable subatomic particles to exist as both particles and waves at the same time.
These principles are strange and counterintuitive. According to them, a computing system cannot only store and process data in binary bits, 0s and 1s. Or in more electronic engineering terms, the state of off and on of an electronic switch. It can also store and process data in superposed states of not on or off but the combination thereof. By harnessing these principles, quantum computers can solve complex problems much faster than traditional computers.
Quantum computers are a variety of different supercomputers based on quantum mechanics. These quantum computers use the laws of quantum mechanics to process information. That means they can find patterns in big data that are almost impossible to find with conventional computers. This way, they are fundamentally different from the computers we use today.
When it comes to artificial intelligence, quantum computing can analyze a wider variety of data. At the same time, they can come to better conclusions than computers today. Conventional computers can only process information as either 1s or 0s. Quantum computers can process information in multiple states known as qubits at once. That enables them to analyze a wider variety of data and come to better conclusions than computers can today.
Artificial intelligence has come a long way in the past few years. It has been able to generate realistic 3D images and videos. In addition, it is beginning to embrace quantum computing. That has given rise to quantum AI. Artificial intelligence now leverages quantum computers. And their full integration will be a technological revolution of the century.
There are several benefits of using quantum AI in creative industries. I have already made it clear it can handle large data sets faster and more efficiently than traditional AI technologies. It can also identify patterns that are difficult for regular computers to spot. Furthermore, it can combine and rearrange existing ideas. Hence it can create new ideas in ways that any human cannot imagine possible.
One of the biggest hurdles for artificial intelligence today is training the machine to do something useful. For example, we might have a model that can correctly identify a dog in a photo. But the model will need to be trained with tens of thousands of images for it to recognize the subtle differences between a beagle, a poodle, and a Great Dane. This process is what AI researchers call training. They use it to teach AI algorithms to make predictions in new situations.
Quantum computing can make this training process faster and more accurate. It will allow AI researchers to use more data than they have ever used before. It can process large amounts of data in 1s and 0s and the combination thereof which will enable quantum computers to come to more accurate conclusions than traditional computers. In other words, AI researchers can use larger datasets to train AI models to be more accurate and better at decision-making.
One of the most exciting predictions for quantum computing in artificial intelligence is the potential to break through language barriers. AI models can currently understand one language the language used to train them. so if we need AI to understand a different language, we shall need to teach it from scratch. However, quantum computing can help AI models break through language barriers. It will allow us to train models in one language and translate them into a different language effortlessly.
That will enable AI to understand and interpret different languages simultaneously. What this will do is create a global AI that can speak multiple languages. Another exciting prediction for the future of AI with quantum computing is the potential to build models with more accurate decision-making skills: Quantum computing will allow using larger datasets to train models. Hence AI will be able to make more accurate decisions that will be especially helpful for financial models, which often have a high rate of inaccuracy because of the limited data used to train them.
Artificial intelligence is already improving the performance of quantum computers. This trend will only continue in the future. The following are some reasons why:
The potential of quantum computing is limitless, but its integration into artificial intelligence will produce a technology that will be rather powerful than anything we have today. The new technology will enable machines to learn and self-evolve. It will make them exponentially better at solving complex problems and developing self-learning algorithms that will drive efficiency in sectors such as finance or healthcare.
Quantum AI systems will be able to process large amounts of information quickly and accurately. That will open up a new world of possibilities for businesses and individuals. They will also be able to solve complex problems that are impossible for even the most advanced conventional computer systems.
Nevertheless, we must remember that these technologies are relatively new; we are still discovering new ways to use quantum computing. Therefore, we must be aware of the latest technology to take advantage of new opportunities as they come along.
The rise of quantum computing will change the way we interact with AI in the future. That means we must stay informed so we can prepare for the changes and make the most of this exciting technology.
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What Quantum Computing Will Mean for the Future Artificial Intelligence - Medium
The Emergence of Quantum Computing: Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects – Medriva
The Emergence of Quantum Computing
Quantum computing is an emergent computational paradigm that uses quantum bits or qubits as the basic units of information. This unique approach allows for massive parallelism and complex computation through quantum effects and entanglement. Unlike traditional bits that can be either a 0 or a 1, qubits can be in a state of superposition, being both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This feature, along with entanglement, where qubits become interconnected and the state of one can instantly affect the state of another, is what enables quantum speedups.
A notable achievement in quantum computing is the demonstration of quantum supremacy, where a quantum computer performs a task faster than any classical computer. This supremacy has been achieved in experimental setups for specific problems, such as integer factorization using Shors landmark quantum algorithm. This has valuable real-world implications in areas like cryptography. Quantum simulation is another promising domain where quantum computing can have a significant advantage.
While quantum computing poses exciting possibilities, there are tangible challenges to overcome. Fragile qubit coherence times, the engineering scalability of qubit arrays, and operational errors are among the difficulties faced in the field. However, steady experimental progress and cutting-edge technological advancements, such as IBMs 433 qubit powerful Osprey processor, are paving the way towards more robust and efficient quantum processors.
As quantum computing evolves, the risk it poses to existing encryption systems becomes increasingly apparent. The computational prowess of quantum machines threatens to render current cryptographic defenses obsolete. However, initiatives are underway to develop quantum resistant cryptography and quantum key distribution to safeguard digital communications. Post quantum algorithms are also being developed, which are based on complex mathematical problems with no known solutions, ensuring long-term security in the quantum era.
Quantum computing also holds implications for blockchain technology. It has the potential to optimize blockchain by accelerating the mining process, execution of smart contracts, and enhancing security with post quantum algorithms. However, the transition to quantum safe solutions poses challenges in terms of development, implementation, and maintaining the scalability and efficiency of blockchain transactions.
Despite the challenges and threats, the potential of quantum computing is immense. It promises to solve problems currently deemed insurmountable by classical computing. Experts argue that the future of quantum computing lies in small, steady improvements rather than revolutionary leaps. Once integrated effectively, these improvements could lead to the construction of increasingly larger and more powerful quantum systems, revolutionizing numerous fields of study and transforming the world as we know it.
In conclusion, while quantum computing is surrounded by hype, its not just an illusion. Its a rapidly evolving field with significant challenges to overcome, but its potential to reshape our world is undeniable.
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The Emergence of Quantum Computing: Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects - Medriva