The full power of next-generation quantum computing could soon be harnessed by millions of individuals and companies thanks to a breakthrough by scientists at Oxford’s Department of Physics guaranteeing security and privacy. The advance promises to unlock the transformative potential of cloud-based quantum computing and is detailed in a new study published in Physical Review Letters.
In the new study, the researchers use an approach known as ‘blind quantum computing’, which connects two totally separate quantum computing entities – potentially an individual at home or in an office accessing a cloud server – in a completely secure way. Importantly, their new methods could be scaled up to large quantum computations.
So regular cryptography is threatened by quantum computing, for sure. I imagine you’d wind up with some kind of quantum coprocessor like we used to have for math back in the day because quantum computing isn’t a replacement for current computers.
That said, cloud-based quantum cryptography has a big hole in it: the connection to the cloud.
I don’t see that happen anytime soon. The theoretical advantage can’t be used because of practical disadvantages, so far.
Agreed, although I wonder how much further ahead state actors are compared to common knowledge. Standard encryption will be broken before most of us are aware, I think.
There are plenty of quantum resistant cryptography methods that already exist and have existed for a decade or more.
Read the article, the whole point is making the connection the the cloud actually secure.
I read it but I didn’t see anything about local quantum encryption. Originally my comment talked about that until I realized they are just talking about accessing cloud-based quantum encryption. So I immediately edited it not to look like an idiot. If I’m still missing something, let me know, but I am not seeing it.
My point is that the article is about making cloud quantum computing secure; the article doesn’t even mention quantum encryption.