Quantum is the new buzz word
When I first took cryptography class for my CS major about one year ago, I remembered vividly my professor told us it wont be long before we get to see the real-world example of quantum cryptography, a crypto system so powerful and secure ( as it is guaranteed by the laws of physics, whereas the security of conventional cryptographic methods relied on the complexity of mathematical operations) that it can’t be broken by any conventional (or unconventional) method. In other words, you need not only have to be the best among the DEFCONians to crack it, but you’ll have to prove Einstein was wrong too.
The hype and hope were definitely there back then as several reputable research papers showed promising results and theories that it can solve the ‘massive-computer-power-code-cracking-sequence’ problem once and for all. Anyone wise enough in this cryptology field will however, be more appreciative towards the notion ‘never say never’.
Back then, everything is still papers and theories. Today, I read that it has arrived (courtesy of diggs.com). Still, the belief that quantum cryptography cannot be cracked is at best, as it was, papers and theories. Dont get me wrong, earlier result looks promising and I am very excited as this is a momentous achievement in cryptology. THIS IS HUGE because it does not only solve the cracking problem, at the same time it also solves the ‘eavesdropping’ problem as information in microsopic bodies such as photons or nuclear spins obeys quantum laws. Such quantum information cannot be read or copied without disturbance.
And the most important point of all wonderful mother nature things, I have always believed quantum computing is only years (if not months) away and no I dont think its here yet, despite all the rumors and slashdotted articles. When that does become more of a real thing, well…… lets just say most of our current public-key cryptography would be wiped out by the quantum computer.
Quantum cryptography, according to some might be our last hope. Correct me if i am wrong but i dont think its possible to crack quantum crypto with quantum computing if I understand correctly from those research papers I read.
Now, let us do the word counts, how many times have I used the word ‘quantum’ in this entry?
