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Microsoft encryption updated against quantum tech - Maxmars - 09-12-2024
I debated placing this in a different forum, since it is quite technical... but in the end it is relevant to people who are keen to understand computers and what they can and can't do.
As it turns out, the approaching reality of quantum computers ascending into our daily (computing) lives is more and more certain. One of the most important facts of quantum computing is that it represent a tremendous increase in computational capacity. Encryption is central to the programming of secure transactions between computers... and quantum computers are orders of magnitude more effective in decrypting data.
From ArsTechnica: As quantum computing threats loom, Microsoft updates its core crypto library
Microsoft has updated a key cryptographic library with two new encryption algorithms designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers.
I really wish I could effectively explain the maths.... but lacking that ability...
The updates are the first steps in implementing a massive overhaul of encryption protocols that incorporate a new set of algorithms that aren’t vulnerable to attacks from quantum computers.
In Monday's post, Microsoft Principal Product Manager Lead Aabha Thipsay wrote: "PQC [Post Quantum Computing] algorithms offer a promising solution for the future of cryptography, but they also come with some trade-offs. For example, these typically require larger key sizes, longer computation times, and more bandwidth than classical algorithms. Therefore, implementing PQC in real-world applications requires careful optimization and integration with existing systems and standards."
Algorithms known to be vulnerable to quantum computing attacks include RSA, Elliptic Curve, and Diffie-Hellman. These algorithms have been widely used for decades and are believed to be virtually uncrackable with classical computers when implemented correctly.
A new approach had to be implemented to thwart the sheer processing power of a quantum computing assault on encryption. Although some expert have stated that RSA may not be as vulnerable as we might think.
Quantum computing makes a new approach to cracking keys possible based on these vulnerable algorithms. The approach, known as Shor’s algorithm, relies on properties of quantum physics, such as superposition and entanglement, that are impossible with today’s classical computers. The inability to implement Shor’s algorithm today means that this approach is still theoretical, but most, if not all, cryptography experts believe that it will be practical with sufficient quantum computing resources.
The idea is to make it so that decryption requires a great deal of resources and equipment to perform...
Quantum computing makes a new approach to cracking keys possible based on these vulnerable algorithms. The approach, known as Shor’s algorithm, relies on properties of quantum physics, such as superposition and entanglement, that are impossible with today’s classical computers. The inability to implement Shor’s algorithm today means that this approach is still theoretical, but most, if not all, cryptography experts believe that it will be practical with sufficient quantum computing resources.
No one knows precisely when those resources will be practical. Estimates range from five years to as many as 50 or more. Even then, encrypted data won’t be cracked all at once. The current estimate is that breaking a 1,024-bit or 2,048-bit RSA key will require a quantum computer with vast resources.
Specifically, those estimated resources are about 20 million qubits and about eight hours of them running in a state of superposition. (A qubit is a basic unit of quantum computing, analogous to the binary bit in classical computing. But whereas a classic binary bit can represent only a single binary value such as a 0 or 1, a qubit is represented by a superposition of multiple possible states.) Current quantum computers maxed out at 433 qubits in 2022 and 1,000 qubits last year.
All of that means that even when the scale of quantum computing reaches the required levels, each individual key will have to be cracked separately by using extremely expensive machines that must run in a state of superposition for sustained periods. Nuances such as these are one of the reasons predictions vary so widely for when practical attacks from quantum computers will be possible.
I hope this isn't too boring... for reasons I can't quite fathom, I find this fascinating... even if I am not exactly understanding the details...
RE: Microsoft encryption updated against quantum tech - FlyingClayDisk - 09-12-2024
Nvm
RE: Microsoft encryption updated against quantum tech - Maxmars - 09-14-2024
(09-12-2024, 06:21 PM)FlyingClayDisk Wrote: Nvm
I was confused there for a minute... don't sweat it... we know this happens.
