It is so easy to find things to worry about these days it can be hard to tell what should be the priorities. Everyone would probably agree that safety, in whatever form for whatever reason, is the main priority. Safety for each individual, for each family, each community, each country. Safety first.

With the wave of new technologies being introduced into the global societies, many are noticing the risks to our safety. Risks to mental health. Risks to privacy. Risks of misinformation. Risks of artificial intelligence. And one of the biggest risks of all is the risk of data breaches and attacks, against anyone and everyone, business or personal.

Data encryption is currently our safety mechanism and has done a fairly good job protecting our data. Breaches, hacks, and ransoms do occur, however, and it is usually a news event. Businesses in the U.S. are required to report incidents to authorities and notify affected customers. We have already been dealing with this for some time now.

What is encryption?

Encryption is the process of converting information or data into a code, especially to prevent unauthorized access. Think of it like a secret code that only authorized parties can decipher. Here’s a simple breakdown:

1. Plaintext: The original, readable data or information.
2. Encryption Algorithm: A complex mathematical formula used to transform the plaintext into unreadable ciphertext.
3. Ciphertext: The encrypted, unreadable version of the data.
4. Decryption: The process of converting the ciphertext back into readable plaintext using a key.

There are two main types of encryption:

• Symmetric Encryption: Uses the same key for both encryption and decryption. It’s fast and efficient for large amounts of data but requires secure key exchange.
• Asymmetric Encryption: Uses a pair of keys—a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption. It’s more secure for key exchange but slower than symmetric encryption.

Encryption is essential for protecting sensitive information, such as personal data, financial transactions, and communications, from unauthorized access and cyber threats. Without encryption, anyone who intercepts the data could easily read and misuse it. {Copilot}

There is a new field of computing being developed right now called quantum computing. This is not the so-called “super computer” we tend to think about when thinking about computers. This is an entirely different species of computers. They are built entirely differently, with different pieces and parts that react differently to do what it does. It feels very science fiction. But it’s not. It is really here right now.

Many consider full-scale quantum computing to be something decades in the future. Maybe, but quantum computing is functional and being sold as a service right now. Right now. Companies, including Microsoft, are offering use of their cloud quantum computing services. Google has created a quantum computing chip, they call it “Willow”, that can correct it’s own errors (something quantum computing is having issues with) in real time. There are also a slew of small businesses in the quantum computing as a cloud service in existence today. Right now.

The potential quantum computing has in our future is enormous. We are talking about scientific and mathematical calculations that would take an ordinary computer, like, thousands of years to calculate. Extraordinary, to say the least. And wonderful. But there is one glaring risk quantum computing poses that is staring at us right now. Quantum computing can easily solve encryption too. Quickly.

I asked Copilot “How is encryption at risk from quantum computers?”

Quantum computers pose a significant threat to current encryption methods because they can solve complex mathematical problems much faster than classical computers. Here are a few key points to understand:

1. Breaking Encryption: Quantum computers can potentially break widely-used encryption algorithms like RSA and ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) by efficiently solving problems that are currently infeasible for classical computers. For example, Shor’s algorithm, when run on a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, can factor large numbers exponentially faster than classical algorithms.
2. Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later Attacks: Cybercriminals can steal encrypted data now and wait for quantum computers to become powerful enough to decrypt it. This poses a long-term risk to sensitive information stored today.
3. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): To counter these threats, researchers are developing quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms. These new algorithms are designed to be secure against both classical and quantum attacks.
4. Timeline: While fully functional quantum computers capable of breaking current encryption standards are not yet available, experts predict they could emerge within the next 10 to 20 years.

In summary, while quantum computing holds great promise for advancements in various fields, it also necessitates a proactive approach to cybersecurity to protect sensitive data from future quantum attacks.

So, is it too early to sound the alarm bells on quantum computing’s risk to our data security? I certainly don’t think so. This is the time for all to re-evaluate what needs to be done for digital security in the near, middle, and far-off future. It is a must. Right now.