As new technologies become more complex, it seems that hackers are becoming more resourceful. In one most interesting case, Chinese hackers explained that they were able to bypass a military-grade encryption system using a quantum computer.
In recent days, Chinese researchers at Shanghai University have made headlines after releasing a study in which they explain using a D-Wave Advantage quantum computer to hack military-grade encryption. The study was published in the journal Chinese Journal of Computers. Coming to the details of their exploit, the researchers claimed to have successfully attacked three algorithms (Present, Gift-64 and Rectangle) which are essential to the framework of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) used to secure data in the government, military and financial sectors.
The researchers warned that their study demonstrates that there is a real and substantial threat that real hackers will compromise the world’s most sensitive and protected data. This threat could even extend to AES-256 encryption, which is currently considered virtually uncrackable, even if researchers were unable to bypass this encryption. In any case, many experts wanted to temper enthusiasm regarding the extent of this threat. They notably recalled that a quantum computer was necessary for this high-level hack.
However, quantum computers are installations that are difficult to obtain. Additionally, sensitive information protected by the military and law enforcement is subject to protection systems that are beyond the reach of their inner circle. Furthermore, Google’s quantum computer instantly performs a task that would normally take 47 years.
