The computing power of quantum computers can decipher common encryption keys in our systems. Companies and governments must adapt now, before the arrival of these super machines. Will the quantum computer infiltrate all our computer systems? Only those that are not prepared. This is what Eric Brier, director of cyber defense technology at Thales, maintains during a spotlight on the skills of these super machines during a conference given in October at the Assises de la Cybersécurité.
Concretely, if we want to resist the strike force of a quantum computer, we must adapt the systems. A quantum computer is a machine that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to perform calculations.
A quantum device can process a huge amount of information in parallel, making certain calculations much faster to perform than with a classic computer. However, the security of our systems is also based on calculations. Our passwords or our messaging are considered secure from the moment they are encrypted.
A computer has difficulty decrypting a code without the key, because it comes down to decomposing a mathematical combination involving large numbers. It is, in a way, like trying to find the original ingredients of a great chef’s cake. Quantum computers, on the other hand, can use a “special recipe” (called Shor’s algorithm) that allows them to decompose these series of numbers much more quickly. A large functional quantum computer could decipher keys that cannot currently be broken by traditional computers.
Quantum will blow up encryption keys “The use of a quantum computer will undermine encryption, that’s a fact” warns Eric Brier “This brings us to the post-quantum. A quantum computer is still limited to certain calculations, for physical reasons. We should not attribute miracle skills to it.
Cybersecurity researchers are therefore working on algorithms that are unattainable for the quantum computer. “New protocols are being tested and are now resistant to quantum computing. In the United States, a competition is aiming to find the best candidates for future post-quantum cryptography standards. For its part, Thales is already highlighting solutions offered to companies to secure files before these supercomputers manage to find their key.
Unlike AI, quantum is currently predictable, we can more easily imagine its capabilities and therefore prepare for it,” he continues. “On the other hand, we will have to prioritize the elements that we want to secure quickly. Not all encryption can be quickly updated, and there are certain sectors or sensitive elements, such as defense, that we want to protect above all.” Messaging companies also do not want to be overtaken by these future technologies. The proof: Signal and Proton, two services known for their high degree of security and confidentiality, are also working on post-quantum solutions, which should become a future standard in our exchanges in
the future.
