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Are quantum computers a threat?
If or when powerful quantum computing arrives, it poses a large security threat. Because the process of adopting new standards can take years, it is wise to begin planning for quantum-resistant cryptography now.
What is a quantum threat?
This is the “quantum threat” — that Canada’s national security and economic prosperity will be jeopardized as government, communications, transportation, banking, energy and other critical systems become vulnerable to hostile actions because our cryptography is no longer strong enough to protect us.
Why are quantum computers bad?
However, the disadvantages of quantum computing include breaking current encryption systems, which could leave doors open for data theft if organizations are not prepared to transition to cryptography to post-quantum algorithms. Without proper security, many of the promised benefits of quantum computing will fail.
How will quantum computing affect the Internet?
Quantum computers will be able to solve problems that are far too complex for classical computers to figure out. This includes solving the algorithms behind encryption keys that protect our data and the Internet’s infrastructure. A quantum computer, however, can easily factor those numbers and break the code.
Why are quantum computers a threat to cryptography?
Quantum computing has the potential to disrupt most existing encryption methods. Although current quantum computers are insufficiently strong to crack encryption, an attacker may use a relatively strong quantum computer in the coming years to decipher, retrieve, or view confidential data.
Can quantum computers be hacked?
Quantum hacking is the biggest threat to encryption. Quantum computers have limitless potentials. But along with this, they could also help hackers get access to our most private data by breaking encryption. While quantum computing is beneficial, quantum hacking is dangerous.
What is quantum-safe cryptography?
Quantum-safe cryptography refers to efforts to identify algorithms that are resistant to attacks by both classical and quantum computers, to keep information assets secure even after a large-scale quantum computer has been built.