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Nanofridge could keep quantum computers cool enough to calculate – New Scientist

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

This centimetre-sized chip has nanoscale refrigeration

Kuan Yen Tan

By Jennifer Ouellette

Even quantum computers need to keep their cool. Now, researchers have built a tiny nanoscale refrigerator to keep qubits cold enough to function.

Classical computers require built-in fans and other ways to dissipate heat, and quantum computers are no different. Instead of working with bits of information that can be either 0 or 1, as in a classical machine, a quantum computer relies on qubits, which can be in both states simultaneously called a superposition thanks to the quirks of quantum mechanics. Those qubits must be shielded from all external noise, since the slightest interference will destroy the superposition, resulting in calculation errors. Well-isolated qubits heat up easily, so keeping them cool is a challenge.

Also, unlike in a classical computer, qubits must start in their low-temperature ground states to run an algorithm. Qubits heat up during calculations, so if you want to run several quantum algorithms one after the other, any cooling mechanism must be able to do its job quickly. A standard fan just wont cut it.

Now, Mikko Mttnen at Aalto University in Finland and his colleagues have built the first standalone cooling device for a quantum circuit. It could eventually be integrated into many kinds of quantum electronic devices including a computer.

The team built a circuit with an energy gap dividing two channels: a superconducting fast lane, where electrons can zip along with zero resistance, and a slow resistive (non-superconducting) lane. Only electrons with sufficient energy to jump across that gap can get to the superconductor highway; the rest are stuck in the slow lane.

If some poor electron falls just short of having enough energy to make the jump, it can get a boost by capturing a photon from a nearby resonator a device that can function as a qubit. As a result, the resonator gradually cools down.

Over time this has a selective chilling effect on the electrons as well: the hotter electrons jump the gap, while the cooler ones are left behind. The process removes heat from the system, much like how a refrigerator functions.

Spiros Michalakis at the California Institute of Technology draws a loose analogy with the famous thought experiment known as Maxwells Demon, in which an intelligent being presides over a box of gas atoms divided into two chambers. The demon allows only the hottest, or most energetic, atoms to pass through an opening in the wall dividing the two chambers, resulting in a sharp difference in temperature between the two.

There is no demon in the quantum fridge, but it works in a similar way, Michalakis says. Its kind of like a gate similar to Maxwells Demon, where you only allow electrons with energy above a certain threshold to cross, he said.

The next step will be to build the device and cool actual qubits with it, being careful not to accidentally destroy the superposition when the fridge is shut down. Mttnen is confident enough in eventual success that he has applied for a patent for the device.

Maybe in 10 to 15 years, this might be commercially useful, he said. Its going to take some time, but Im pretty sure well get there.

Journal reference: Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15189

Home News Computer Europe Takes Quantum Computing to the Next Level With this Billion Euro… – TrendinTech

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

The race on quantum technologies is on in a big way. Weve already seen big investments coming from both China and the United States, and now Europe is jumping in on the action too. Last year the European Commission announced its plans to invest 1 billion Euros ($1.1 billion) into quantum mechanic research. However, experts are concerned that partners are reluctant to invest.

A meeting was held by an advisory group steering the Quantum Technology Flagship project on 7 April at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in London. Here the group gave details of how the project will work which includes exploiting the behavior shown by quantum systems in order to develop new technologies such as ultra-accurate sensors and super-secure communication systems. But is it too little too late? Various other countries are already developing these technologies, including China and the U.S.

Europe cannot afford to miss this train, says Vladmir Buzek, a member of the steering group and physicist at the Research Center for Quantum Information of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. The industry here is really waiting too long. Launched just last year, this quantum project is a decade-long initiative that will work differently to previous efforts, operating with open calls throughout to ensure flexibility in funding the best researchers. The focus of the European Flagship will be on four distinct areas of quantum technologies: communication, sensing, computing, and simulation.

China is clearly in the lead currently when it comes to quantum communication. They hold the most patents globally in this field with the United States leading to patents involving quantum computers and ultrasensitive sensors. One of the big problems Europe face is the loss of the United Kingdom following the Brexit vote. The project is due to kick off the same year as the United Kingdom are due to exit the European Union (2019). But experts suggest the timing may actually be a good thing and are hopeful the United Kingdom can still participate in some form.

Researchers seek to advance quantum computing – The Stanford Daily

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

Researchers in Professor of Engineering Jelena Vuckovics lab are pursuing smaller, faster computers with work in the cutting-edgefield of quantum computing.

Most currentcomputing is based on a binary system of ones and zeros generated by electricity. Instead of using electricity and digits, quantum computing analyzes particles of light called quanta, emitted by lasers striking single electrons. The light particles indicate the way each electron is spinning; they allow transmission of more complicated information than would be possible with just binary numbers.

That greater range of possibilities forms the basis for more complex computing, Marina Radulaski, a postdoctoral fellow in Vuckovics lab, toldStanford News.

According to Vuckovic, whose research is at theforefront of quantum computing, the technology is applicable to a wide variety of problems involving many variables for example, issues in fields like cryptography and data mining.

When people talk about finding a needle in a haystack, thats where quantum computing comes in, Vuckovic said.

For the last two decades, Vuckovic has sought to develop new kinds of quantum computer chips. Recently, she has joined forces with others around the globe to test out three different ways of isolating electronsfor interaction with lasers.

Each of the three strategies leverages semiconductor crystals, a material whose lattice of atoms can be modified subtly to hold electrons.

Many companies tackling quantum computing seek to cool materials almost to absolute zero, the temperature at which atoms stop moving. But one of the materials Vuckovic and her colleagues have been exploring could function at standard room temperatures. This normal-temperature optioncould help quantum computing become more widespread.

To fully realize the promise of quantum computing we will have to develop technologies that can operate in normal environments, Vuckovic said. The materials we are exploring bring us closer toward finding tomorrows quantum processor.

We dont know yet which approach is best, so we continue to experiment, she added.

Contact Hannah Knowles at hknowles at stanford.edu.

Continued here:
Researchers seek to advance quantum computing - The Stanford Daily

New Materials Could Make Quantum Computers More Practical – Tom’s Hardware

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

A team of researchers from Stanford University has been investigating some new materials that they believe will bring us closer to building practical quantum computers.

One possible way to build quantum computers would be to use lasers to isolate spinning electrons inside a semiconductor material. When the laser hits the electron, it shows how the electron is spinning by emitting one or more light particles. The spin states can then be used as the most fundamental building blocks for quantum computing, the same way conventional computing uses 1s and 0s.

According to Stanford electrical engineering Professor Jelena Vuckovic, who has been investigating these new materials to build quantum computers, quantum computing would be ideal for studying biological systems, doing cryptography, or data mining, as well as for any other complex problem that cant be solved by conventional computers.

When people talk about finding a needle in a haystack, thats where quantum computing comes in, said Vuckovic.

The challenge in isolating spinning electrons is finding a material that can confine the electrons when the lasers hit them. Vuckovics team has identified three materials that can potentially do this: quantum dots, diamonds, and silicon carbide.

A quantum dot is a small amount of indium arsenide inside a crystal of gallium arsenide. The atomic properties of the two materials are known to trap spinning electrons.

In a recent paper, Kevin Fischer, a graduate student in the Vuckovic lab, described how the laser-electron processes can be used within a quantum dot system to control the input and output of light. For instance, by applying more power behind the lasers, two photons could be emitted instead of one. This could be used as an alternative to the 1s and 0s of conventional computers.

One issue is that the quantum dot system still requires cryogenic cooling, which doesnt make it a suitable candidate for general-purpose computing.

Vuckovics team has also been investigating modifying the crystalline lattice of a diamond to trap light in what is known as a color center. The team replaced some of the carbon atoms in the diamonds crystalline lattice with silicon atoms.

Like the quantum dots approach, doing quantum computing within diamond color centers requires cryogenic cooling.

Silicon carbide is a hard and transparent crystal that is used to make clutch plates, brake pads, and bulletproof vests, among other things. Prior research has shown that silicon carbide could be modified to create color centers at room temperature, but not in a way thats efficient enough to create a quantum chip.

Vuckovics team was able to eliminate some of the atoms in the silicon carbide lattice to create much more efficient color centers. The team also fabricated nanowires around the color centers to improve photon extraction.

Trapping electrons at room temperature could be a significant step forward for quantum computers, according to Vuckovich. However, she and her team are also not sure which method to create a practical quantum computer will work best in the end.

Some of the biggest technology companies in the world are working on building quantum computers right now, including Google, IBM, and Microsoft. Teams at many universities around the world are also experimenting with different approaches to building quantum computers.

Both Google and IBM believe well reach quantum supremacy--the point when quantum computers will be faster than conventional computers at solving a certain type of complex problems--when quantum computers have around 50 qubits (from the fewer than 10 qubits they do now). The two companies expect this goal to be reached in the next few years.

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New Materials Could Make Quantum Computers More Practical - Tom's Hardware

Cyber Security Experts: Russia Disproportionately Targeted by Malware – Voice of America

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

MOSCOW

Countries across the globe scrambled to respond to a malicious "ransomware" virus, as internet security watchdogs said the attack had disproportionately targeted Russia.

The Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Labs was among the first to identify the so-called "Wanna Cry" malware a viral worm that exploits a vulnerability in the Windows operating system to encrypt files without users permission.

A group of hackers known as "The Shadow Brokers" are widely believed to have stolen the program from the U.S. National Security Agency last April and deployed it as a means to ransom user data around the world for cash profits.

Kaspersky Labs initially reported 45,000 attacks by the malware in more than 70 countries, with Russia bearing the brunt of the onslaught. The range of targets and victims is likely much, much higher, warned the Kaspersky report.

Within hours, other internet security firms put the number of computers targeted at more than 75,000 computers in 100 countries. Those numbers are expected to grow.

Russian fallout

Russias powerful Interior Ministry and national railway service both confirmed they had fallen victim to the malware. The Russian mobile telecom giant, Megafon, too, issued a statement saying its servers had been compromised.

But by mid-day Saturday, spokesmen from all three said they had successfully isolated the virus and were operating as usual.

The statements came as other key Russian ministries, and the countrys central bank, pushed back against claims state computer infrastructure had been compromised.

In statements to Russian media, all argued they had thwarted the virus using non-Windows operating systems while trumpeting the merits of data backups using a, notably, Russian-made server, Elbrus.

The claims have not been confirmed by outside experts.

Kremlin-net

The Kremlin has long been suspicious of Western technology firms, arguing they work in collusion with American intelligence agencies.

In 2014, Russias Duma passed a law requiring Western tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google to relocate servers to Russia in an effort to protect Russian user data. Though not yet fully implemented, Russian internet activists have argued the law gives Russian security services dangerous access to private data with little legal recourse.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also pushed for digital independence from Western tech firms, partially in response to American and European sanctions introduced following Russias annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Sunday, the Kremlins advisor on internet strategy German Klimenko seized the latest cyber attack as a chance to praise those moves.

The presidents order to create a Russian segment of the internet, [it created] a closed Internet solely for government bureaucrats, said Klimenko in an interview with Russias Channel One television.

The defense against attacks has been in place a long time, he added. It is doubtful our [government] data suffered.

NSA connection?

Meanwhile, Russias online community debated the disproportionate targeting of Russia, in particular allegations the virus had originated with the NSA.

But on the Russian-built secure messaging app Telegram, users traded theories the virus was a U.S. plot aimed at disrupting the countrys 2018 presidential elections, apparent payback for U.S. intelligence agencies conclusion Russian hackers had interfered in last years American presidential elections.

FILE - The National Security Agency (NSA) campus in Fort Meade, Md.

But Anton Nossik, a longtime leading internet voice in Russia, rejected those charges as terribly funny in a widely shared post to his Live Journal blog.

That 74 countries were implicated in the virus is explained as Russias enemies desire to hide the real goal of their attack, wrote Nossik, who notes that Russian governmental officials had been too lazy to install a Windows "patch" available since last March that resolved the security flaw.

Really, how can you deceive our ever wakeful conspiracy theorists? he added wryly, To hack their computers is the simplest thing, but to destroy their vigilance? Never!

Other Russian digerati, too, pushed back against the idea that Russia had been a target by design.

"There's no politics or intention here. The virus is just spreading randomly," says Ilya Sachkov, Director of the Moscow-based Group IB, a company that tracks internet fraud, in an interview with Moscow's Business FM radio.

Sachkov notes ransomeware attacks have been growing in number and strength for years.

Snowden, again

The unfolding crisis and alleged links to the NSA again thrust Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who was granted asylum in Russia after leaking classified NSA documents to the press in 2013, into the spotlight.

FILE - Edward Snowden, a former CIA worker before turning whistleblower, speaks via satellite at the IT fair CeBIT in Hanover, Germany, March 21, 2017.

In a series of Twitter posts, Snowden argued the NSA bore moral responsibility for the leak.

Despite warnings, the NSA built dangerous attack tools that could target Western software, wrote Snowden. Today we see the cost.

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Cyber Security Experts: Russia Disproportionately Targeted by Malware - Voice of America

Crippling cyberattack continues to spread around the world – Los Angeles Times

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

A crippling computer virus that invaded computer systems around the globe triggered a wave of aftershocks Saturday, holding data hostage on tens of thousands of computers in what security experts called the largest ransomware attack in history.

The so-called WannaCry virus once again placed the cyberactivities of the U.S. National Security Agency in a global controversy. Experts criticized the spy agency for not only developing a dangerous tool to exploit a vulnerability in Windows computers, but also letting it fall into the hands of criminals.

The ransomware attack secretly searched computers for personal files, encrypted them and then displayed a demand for ransom to release the files.

The virus struck with lightning speed. Cybersecurity researchers had warned that such an event was increasingly likely because aging computer operating systems were not being updated with the latest software protections.

The digital blackmail scheme played on peoples worst fears about the risks of living in a connected world where technology such as autonomous cars and medical devices raise the possibility of far more lethal hacks.

After surfacing Friday, the attack continued to gather momentum.

I dont see how its going to end, said Phil Lieberman, president of Lieberman Software. Theres this list of problems with security that have gone on for the last 10 or 15 years that werent fixed and that people didnt take seriously. And now the bill is coming due.

By Saturday evening in Europe, the cybersecurity firm Avast was reporting that it had recorded a massive peak of WannaCry attacks, bringing the total to 126,000 computers in 104 countries.

Although no corner of the globe seemed immune, Europe initially appeared to be hardest hit, particularly the United Kingdom, where the National Health Service suffered an attack on 48 centers.

The NHS was particularly vulnerable because so many of its systems ran on Windows XP, a version of the operating system Microsoft stopped supporting years ago.

The widespread nature of this attack suggests that organizations are still slow to patch significant vulnerabilities like the one currently being associated with this event, said Travis Farral, director of security strategy at the cybersecurity firm Anomali.

Microsoft took the extraordinary step of issuing software patches this weekend for old versions of Windows, such as XP.

Many of our customers around the world and the critical systems they depend on were victims, the companys security unit wrote in a blog post. Seeing businesses and individuals affected by cyberattacks, such as the ones reported today, was painful. Microsoft worked throughout the day to ensure we understood the attack and were taking all possible actions to protect our customers.

Although the U.K. was hit early, Avast reported that new cases were concentrated in Russia, Ukraine and Taiwan. Russian officials confirmed reports that the nations train system and Interior Ministry had been hit, along with a number of businesses. Infections were also reported in China, as well as by companies and government agencies in Spain, Italy and the United States.

Christy Wyatt, chief executive of the cybersecurity firm Dtex Systems, said the WannaCry virus did not seem to have a specific target. The attack was simply spreading to the most poorly defended computer networks.

When someone is taking a very large swing like this, theyre going to be indiscriminate, she said. Theyre looking for impact.

For those already hit, the options were limited. The hackers have been demanding $300 in electronic money known as bitcoin to regain access to the data. According to the Internet security software firm Kaspersky Lab, about 70 people had paid just over $20,000 into the three bitcoin accounts linked to the attack.

We do not recommend paying the ransom, as this only encourages the criminals to continue their activities, said Costin Raiu, director of Kaspersky Labs Global Research and Analysis Team. Kaspersky said it is working on a solution to allow users to decrypt their information without paying.

The virus appeared Friday, after a week of cybersecurity news.

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order calling for a review of U.S. cybersecurity assets and defenses. The European Union also released this week a review of progress made under a five-year plan to create a more unified cybersecurity strategy across its 28 member states.

Security experts said the WannaCry attack may shift the debate about privacy and cybersecurity.

Regulatory frameworks are fantastic, said Becky Pinkard, vice president of service delivery and intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Digital Shadows. The problem is that they are slow-moving, and theyre slow to come together. Anything that will come on the back of this will come at a very slow pace.

Security researchers said the NSA is likely to face its greatest scrutiny since the release of the Edward Snowden documents revealing the extent of the agencys spying activities.

Experts were appalled that the NSA had failed to safeguard one of its surveillance tools.

Losing your tools, losing what the government paid you to do, losing your cyberweapons, its a really tragic event thats going to hurt the world, Lieberman said. To have them fall into the hands of criminals is just awful.

The vulnerability that the NSA found in Windows was probably a surveillance gold mine. It gave outsiders almost unhindered access to a computer.

The NSAs discovery of what was code-named EternalBlue was hacked and published in April by a group known as the Shadow Brokers.

In April, Microsoft issued a security patch to plug the vulnerability.

On unprotected computers, the WannaCry virus enters the system and plants software that encrypts information.

The virus generates an encryption key, registered at a remote site on the Internet. Once the location is identified, an alternative version of the site can be set up to trick the virus and prevent the encryption.

Lieberman said there have been two waves of the virus, and both have been blocked this way.

The problem now is that hackers can relaunch another version of the virus with a different destination. The cybercriminals are more likely to seek money from critical infrastructure such as hospitals, utilities and telecommunication companies.

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Crippling cyberattack continues to spread around the world - Los Angeles Times

Where the Acting FBI Director Stands on Encryption – InsideSources

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe sits with a folder marked "Secret" in front of him while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 11, 2017, before the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on major threats facing the U.S. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The new acting director of the FBI Andrew McCabe will inherit more from predecessor James Comey than an investigation into Russian ties to the campaign of President Donald Trump, who fired Comey Tuesday. Depending on how long he runs the agency before a Trump successor is approved something Senate Democrats upset over Comeys firing will likely draw out McCabe may have to take up Comeys other political battles, including encryption.

Almost since the beginning of his tenure as head of the FBI in 2013, Comey engaged in a crusade against criminals and terrorists evading law enforcement and intelligence surveillance online, or going dark, via default encryption platforms like Apples iPhone and Android OS.

Comey has spent the last several years repeatedly testifying before Congress that letting companies like Apple refuse law enforcement requests for user data puts lives at risk and grants bad actors more leverage when communicating online.

We all care about safety and security on the Internet and Im a big fan of strong encryption we all care about public safety, and the problem we have here is those are in tension in a whole lot of our work, the former FBI director told Congress in 2015.We work for the American people. We work with the tools that they give us through Congress. And so our job is to say, Hey look, our tools are being eroded, and were not making it up.'

Comey at first sought legislation from Congress mandating companies like Apple build back doors into their products through which law enforcement and intelligence agencies could access and decrypt communications. Comey later backed down in favor of a more nuanced and less specific approach, calling on lawmakers, agencies, and companies to sit down and work out a solution.

The debate came to a head last year when the FBI sued Apple to unlock the iPhone of one of the attackers in the December 2015 shooting in San Bernardino, California that left 14 dead. The agency eventually abandoned the case in favor of letting an outside firm crack the phones encryption. Congress convened a working group to examine the issue that largely fell between the cracks during the 2016 election season.

Now a rising number of ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks in Europe and growing concerns of cybersecurity and election hacking in the U.S. and abroad are churning up the issue again, with Trump himself taking a stand against Apple during the campaign.

Even if McCabe is replaced, hes likely to have an influence on the agencys encryption stance going forward as the deputy under Comey. During an interview with McCabe in October, the then-deputy director appeared to defer more to the American public than his boss at the time when deciding how to strike the right balance between privacy and national security.

Its a great question and its one you probably dont want me to answer, or [National Security Agency Director] Mike Rogers to answer or the private sector to answer, McCabe told CNBC. How do we have a conversation in this country about how do we feel about the cost of privacy versus national security?

McCabe said theres no world of absolute privacy or security, and that neither side has made progress by throwing absolute positions at each other.

During a panel discussion on cybersecurity at the Cambridge Cyber Summit, co-sponsored by CNBC, MIT, and the Aspen Institute, McCabe said of the Apple case it should be an issue Congress decides, not law enforcement.

The then-deputy director echoed one of Comeys arguments against tech community claims that to create access to any encrypted platforms means compromising the whole system.

We were innovative enough, we were smart enough to create the very technology thats given us these opportunities, McCabe said. I believe that we are also smart enough and innovative enough to come up with a solution that meets a reasonable privacy concern but also meets a reasonable national security concern.

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Where the Acting FBI Director Stands on Encryption - InsideSources

Why encryption is a critical step towards GDPR compliance – The Stack

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

Joe Pindar, director of product strategy at Gemaltos Chief Technology Office,discusses why encryption measures are growing in importance for todays businesses

Last year, the UK suffered more data breaches than any previous year. In 2016, 54,468,603 records were compromised a 475% increase over the 9,478,730 compromised in 2015. These events have helped raise awareness around the potential risks to our data and businesses are now realising the criticality of implementing effective security solutions.

Encryption is starting to gain particular prominence because of its ability to render breached data useless to anyone that is not authorised to access it.

When considering encryption, businesses must first understand what data they produce and which data is most valuable or sensitive, through conducting a data sweep. Only by understanding what data they have can businesses then seek to encrypt and protect it.

The key to businesses maintaining control over their encrypted data in an ever-more hybrid environment is thoroughly planning encryption key management strategies.

Consumers believe the majority of responsibility lies with the business to protect their data and will blame them if something goes wrong

Encryption keys are essential to unlock secured data and provide fundamental control over who has access to certain data making companies, and more importantly customers, the custodians of their own data. The best approach is to store encryption keys in specially designed hardware, to avoid them from being hacked. Otherwise, it is like fitting your house with the best security out there, and then leaving your key under the doormat for the burglar to find.

Businesses are not just risking a financial hit if they do not implement and manage the protection of their data properly, but a reputational one too. Customers, more than ever before, are starting to understand the risks associated with sharing and hosting information online. It may not come as a big shock, but consumers believe the majority of responsibility lies with the business to protect their data and will blame them if something goes wrong. Companies need to take note of this, because if something does go wrong, customers are likely to go elsewhere.

With the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the true cost of a breach is still to be felt across Europe as businesses are currently not forced to reveal when they have been breached. As such, they still mostly maintain customer loyalty. While businesses should know that it is a case of when, not if, a breach occurs, GDPR should serve as a wake-up call. To keep that loyalty, they must show they are actively working to protect their customer data using techniques like encryption.

Currently, there is limited incentive to prioritise security, and a lack of accountability for the business

Encryption itself is very effective, but if you do not protect it and the encryption keys that unlock it, then it can easily be cracked by unauthorised individuals. To protect against this, businesses should also focus on who is authorized to access valuable and sensitive data.

The best approach is to use two-factor authentication, which requires the employee to have something like a phone or access to an email address and to know a code or password that is constantly changing, rather than just a code or password that can be guessed. These types of security are readily available, but need to be more widely adopted by businesses.

Currently, there is limited incentive to prioritise security, and a lack of accountability for the business. Companies need to start taking security seriously and this means from the top down. GDPR is still to come into effect, but businesses need to start preparing now before it is too late and they are faced with a potential fine and damaged reputation.

Company boards should take a considered approach to security. It is not a question of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) saying no all the time, but rather implementing security protocols earlyso that it does not affect innovation and ensures the company adheres to the latest regulations.

Furthermore, by establishing a security mindset at the top of the company, it will filter down to the rest of the employees. Every business should know that its defence is only as secure as its weakest link.

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Why encryption is a critical step towards GDPR compliance - The Stack

NYU Left A Secret Encryption-Busting Computer Project Exposed … – Jalopnik

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

For illustrative purposes, above is the Titan Cray XK7, nations most powerful supercomputer for open science at the The Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility

Its pretty rare for the public to know what Americas intelligence and military agencies are working on, because they do everything in their power to keep it secret. Obviously. But, for reasons unknown, a server at New York Universitys Institute for Mathematics and Advanced Supercomputing left exposed confidential information on a highly-advanced code-breaking computer named WindsorGreen, The Intercept reported.

Adam, an American digital security researcher, stumbled upon it while engaging in his hobby of looking for things that are on the internet that shouldnt be.

Basically, one of the worlds most powerful encryption-busting projects was available for every average Joe and Jane to see. For those of us who use WhatsApp, Signal and online banking, encryption is our primary projection against hacking. But the NSA is always looking go around encryption by finding programming flaws in apps or improperly configured devices. Advanced systems like WindsorGreen are built to do just that with unheard-of levels of complexity:

The documents, replete with intricate processor diagrams, lengthy mathematical proofs, and other exhaustive technical schematics, are dated from 2005 to 2012, when WindsorGreen appears to have been in development. Some documents are clearly marked as drafts, with notes that they were to be reviewed again in 2013. Project progress estimates suggest the computer wouldnt have been ready for use until 2014 at the earliest. All of the documents appear to be proprietary to IBM and not classified by any government agency, although some are stamped with the aforementioned warnings restricting distribution to within the U.S. government.

As The Intercept reports, the supercomputing initiative, administered by NYU, the Department of Defense, and IBM, was available to the world before the Adam notified NYU. Adam, who declined to provide his full name, said he didnt have to breach any of NYUs security because there wasnt a single password or username that protected the hundreds of pages that were marked with DISTRIBUTION LIMITED TO U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ONLY, REQUESTS FOR THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE REFERRED TO AND APPROVED BY THE DOD,and IBM Confidential.

An NYU spokesperson told The Intercept their none of their security systems were breached, which is technically correct, but the documents had no password or firewall protection, so anyone could just take them at will with no resistance.

For folks in the encryption world, nothing like WindsorGreen has ever been seen before:

Experts who reviewed the IBM documents said WindsorGreen possesses substantially greater computing power than WindsorBlue, making it particularly adept at compromising encryption and passwords. In an overview of WindsorGreen, the computer is described as a redesign centered around an improved version of its processor, known as an application specific integrated circuit, or ASIC, a type of chip built to do one task, like mining bitcoin, extremely well, as opposed to being relatively good at accomplishing the wide range of tasks that, say, a typical MacBook would handle. One of the upgrades was to switch the processor to smaller transistors, allowing more circuitry to be crammed into the same area, a change quantified by measuring the reduction in nanometers (nm) between certain chip features.

Head on over to The Intercept to read the whole thing. Its worth it.

Flying to Europe? You Might Want to Encrypt Your Laptop First – ConsumerReports.org

May 14, 2017 | Author: admin

One tactic an international traveler can use is to buy a cheap second laptop, store the data they need in the cloud, and then access it once they get to the destination. They can then wipe the data before getting back on the plane for the return flight.

If that sounds too expensive or inconvenient, you can instead encrypt your laptop's hard drive. Full-disk encryption renders all of your devices software and data unreadable unless you enter a passphrase, which activates a key that unscrambles your files and gets your laptop up and running.

Simply setting a screen lock on your laptop offers a much weaker level of protection, one that can be circumvented by hackers. They can bypass the password by restarting the device with a different operating system on a USB stick, or simply by removing the hard drive from the device.

Once set, full-disk encryption works automatically, and any new data you save on your laptop will also be protected. And if someone physically removes the hard drive, it will be unreadable.

Full disk encryption is a sound practice, and not just for airline travel, Grossman says. It helps with any circumstance where the laptop is not physically well-protected, like in hotel rooms or in the trunk of a vehicle while youre at dinner after work."

Directions for encrypting both MacBook and Windows laptops are below. With either kind of computer, security pros warn users to use strong passwords. They say its best to take the human element out of choosing a passphrase as much as possible.

It's critical that the encryption password be randomly generated and not chosen by a human, says Joseph Bonneau, a post-doctoral researcher in the Applied Cryptography Group at Stanford University. He recommends that you use a minimum of six random words from a list such as one of several developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. That organization has directions for a low-tech, random way to generateyour passphrase. Essentially, though, the more words you use, the better.

Be sure to plan ahead. Depending on how much data you have stored, encrypting a laptop could take a few hours. So this isn't something you can do while waiting on the TSA line at the airport.

And finally, before checking your laptop with your luggage, youll want to power it down completely. Any time you work on your laptop, the hard drive is decryptedotherwise, you wouldn't be able to do anything. Simply putting your device in sleep mode will leave the hard drive decrypted. Shut it down properly and the hard drive will be protected again.

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Flying to Europe? You Might Want to Encrypt Your Laptop First - ConsumerReports.org

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Nanofridge could keep quantum computers cool enough to calculate – New Scientist

Home News Computer Europe Takes Quantum Computing to the Next Level With this Billion Euro… – TrendinTech

Researchers seek to advance quantum computing – The Stanford Daily

New Materials Could Make Quantum Computers More Practical – Tom’s Hardware

Cyber Security Experts: Russia Disproportionately Targeted by Malware – Voice of America

Crippling cyberattack continues to spread around the world – Los Angeles Times

Where the Acting FBI Director Stands on Encryption – InsideSources

Why encryption is a critical step towards GDPR compliance – The Stack

NYU Left A Secret Encryption-Busting Computer Project Exposed … – Jalopnik

Flying to Europe? You Might Want to Encrypt Your Laptop First – ConsumerReports.org

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