Q-Day

How quantum computing could
break the internet

Quantum Computing

Instead of bits, we use q-bits

Start

End

Binary Solution:

# 1st bit 2nd bit
I 0 0
II 1 0
III 0 1
IV 1 1

Possible Binary Solutions:

Current computing methods will find the solution to this maze by trying every possible combination until the solution is found

Start

End

Quantum Solution:

# 1st bit 2nd bit
I Q-bit Q-bit

Possible Quantum Solutions:

Quantum computing can try every possible combination at one. Finding the solution on the first try.

The RSA algorithm

Finding the original factors given only the result is very difficult to do, even for powerful computers. This tricky reverse operation is known as prime factorisation and it underpins a system of encryption, called RSA, used across the internet.

163 * 149 = 24,287

163

149

24,287

Shor's algorithm

"In 1994 the American mathematician Peter Shor wrote an algorithm that could theoretically run on a powerful quantum computer to crack the RSA encryption protocol most commonly used to secure online transactions" (York et al., 2023).

Q-Day

"They call it Q-day. That is the day when a robust quantum computer, like this one, will be able to crack the most common encryption method used to secure our digital data" (York et al., 2023).

"'The best quantum computers today, produced in countries like China and at Google, can do on the order of 100 operations before failure', explains Steve Brierley, founder and chief executive of Riverlane — a company building operating systems for quantum computers. 'To implement Shor’s algorithm you need something like a trillion quantum operations before failure.'" (York et al., 2023).

References

  York, S. L. in N., Thornhill, J., Joiner, S., & London, I. de la T. A. in. (2023, May 3). Quantum computing could break the internet. This is how. https://ig.ft.com/quantum-computing/

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By John Barr

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