Chinese researchers have reportedly used a quantum computer to breach military-grade encryption, marking the first successful quantum attack on widely used encryption algorithms. This breakthrough, which involves a D-Wave quantum computer, poses a significant threat to sectors such as the military and finance, potentially disrupting key systems that rely on secure encryption.
The research, which was revealed through a Chinese journal, shows that the D-Wave Advantage system, originally designed for non-cryptographic purposes, managed to break Substitution-Permutation Network-structured (SPN) algorithms. While specific passcodes have not yet been cracked, the success of this quantum attack signals an early-stage threat to encryption systems that are fundamental to global security.
Quantum Tunneling and Encryption Breach
According to the researchers, the D-Wave quantum computer employs a unique process known as the “quantum tunneling effect” to solve complex encryption problems. Unlike traditional algorithms that get trapped in local extremes while searching for solutions, quantum tunneling allows the system to jump directly to the lowest point in a problem’s solution space. This ability makes the D-Wave machine a powerful tool for global optimization, giving it an advantage over traditional computing methods.
The research introduces two approaches that utilize the quantum annealing algorithm, both aimed at attacking RSA encryption. RSA encryption is widely used to secure sensitive information in various industries, including government, finance, and communication. By factorizing large integers, which is central to breaking RSA encryption, the quantum computer was able to crack a significant part of the encryption process.
In the study, the researchers explained: “We propose a high-level optimization model for multiplication tables and establish a new dimensionality reduction formula to save qubit resources and improve the stability of the Ising model.”
They also revealed that they successfully broke down integers as large as 2,269,753 using the D-Wave Advantage system.
Impact on Global Security
This breakthrough poses a serious concern for security experts worldwide. The ability of quantum computers to solve complex problems at speeds unattainable by classical computers could render many current encryption methods obsolete. Military, government, and financial institutions, which rely on these encryption algorithms for protection, could be vulnerable to future quantum attacks.
Researchers have noted that the advancement of quantum computers in attacking encryption algorithms like RSA has been slower than anticipated. However, they believe the progress in quantum computing hardware, especially in systems like the D-Wave, is moving forward steadily.
“Thanks to the exponential acceleration capabilities of quantum computing, we address the challenge by computing two rounded directions for solutions on each bit of an N-dimensional lattice,” the researchers stated.
This method, combined with the use of the Babai algorithm, enhances precision in determining solutions and further strengthens the quantum computer’s ability to break through traditional encryption defenses.
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What is Quantum Annealing?
The quantum annealing algorithm, which played a key role in this attack, operates similarly to guiding a ball to the lowest point in a terrain filled with hills and valleys. Traditional algorithms would require the ball to repeatedly climb and descend the terrain to find the lowest point, a process that mirrors the temperature changes seen during traditional annealing.
However, in quantum computing, the quantum tunneling effect allows the ball to bypass obstacles and tunnel directly to the lowest point. As a result, quantum computers like the D-Wave can quickly identify the optimal solution, making them more efficient than classical computers.
The research has sparked concern globally, with experts predicting that as quantum computing technology continues to advance, more secure encryption methods will be needed to safeguard sensitive data.