This Article is Sponsored by:
Visit Us At
In a breakthrough that shakes the foundations of global cybersecurity, Chinese researchers have managed to breach encryption systems hitherto considered inviolable, using quantum computers.
This milestone marks a before and after in the protection of digital information, calling into question the effectiveness of traditional cryptographic methods.
The fragility of classical cryptography in the face of quantum power
By: Gabriel E. Levy B.
Since the invention of modern cryptography, encryption algorithms like RSA have been fundamental pillars in the protection of sensitive data. Based on the mathematical complexity of factoring large primes, these systems were considered secure against attacks by conventional computers.
However, as many scientists feared and in a previous article we had anticipated, the arrival of quantum computing has changed the landscape.
In October 2024, a team from Shanghai University, led by Professor Wang Chao, announced that they had used a D-Wave quantum computer to break the 22-bit RSA encryption.
Although this key size is modest compared to current standards, the achievement demonstrates the ability of quantum machines to tackle complex cryptographic problems.
This breakthrough is based on “quantum annealing” techniques, which allow combinatorial optimization problems to be solved efficiently.
RSA Technology That Protects All Global Cybersecurity
RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) technology is the pillar on which practically all cybersecurity in the world is based. From banking transactions to encrypted emails to digital signatures to government communications, RSA protects the most sensitive information on the planet.
Its security is based on a key mathematical principle: the extreme difficulty of factoring large prime numbers.
In essence, RSA uses a pair of keys: a public one, to encrypt the data, and a private one, necessary to decrypt it.
The strength of this system lies in the fact that, while multiplying two huge prime numbers is easy, the reverse process—finding those factors without knowing them beforehand—is virtually impossible for a conventional computer in a reasonable amount of time.
However, quantum computing, using algorithms such as Shor’s, threatens to dismantle this protection, since it could factor these numbers in a matter of minutes or seconds.
This means that, if quantum computers reach the necessary level, the entire current digital infrastructure—from banking networks to defense systems—could be exposed, marking the beginning of an unprecedented crisis in global computer security.
The rise of quantum computing and its implications
Quantum computing is no longer a distant promise but a tangible reality.
Companies and governments around the world invest significant resources in the development of this technology, aware of its potential to revolutionize multiple sectors.
However, this power comes with risks, especially in the area of information security.
The RSA algorithm, widely used in financial transactions, communications, and data storage, is based on the difficulty of factoring large numbers.
Classical computers would take millions of years to solve these problems, but quantum computers, thanks to their ability to process multiple states simultaneously, can reduce this time dramatically.
Although the Chinese experiment was limited to a 22-bit key, its success suggests that, with the increase in quantum power, even the most robust ciphers could be in jeopardy.
The urgency of post-quantum cryptography
Faced with this imminent threat, the scientific and technological community has intensified its efforts in the development of post-quantum cryptography algorithms.
These new methods seek to create encryption systems resistant to quantum computer attacks, guaranteeing information security in the quantum era.
However, the transition to these new standards is not easy.
It requires a thorough review of current infrastructures, rigorous testing, and the implementation of solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems.
In addition, it is crucial that companies and governments act quickly to stay ahead of potential attacks, taking preventive measures before quantum computers reach a capability that poses a real threat.
Cases that show the current vulnerability
The Chinese advance is not an isolated case.
In 2023, researchers managed to factor a 48-bit RSA number using a 10-qubit quantum computer, combining classical and quantum techniques to optimize the process.
Although these keys are small compared to those used in real environments, these experiments demonstrate a worrying trend.
In addition, in 2024, Chinese scientists employed a network of 2,304 graphics processing units (GPUs) to solve in 14.22 seconds a problem that Google’s Sycamore quantum computer solved in 600 seconds.
This achievement, although based on classical computing, underscores the speed with which techniques capable of challenging quantum supremacy are advancing and highlights the need to strengthen current security systems.
The new Quantum Cold War
Both China and the United States, aware of the imminent vulnerability of current cryptographic systems, are independently developing new encryption methods that are immune to quantum computing.
This technological race, reminiscent of the digital Cold War, has led both countries to invest billions of dollars in the creation of what is known as post-quantum cryptography.
These are algorithms designed to resist attacks by quantum computers, using mathematical principles that are not based on the factorization of prime numbers, but on much more complex computational problems, such as Euclidean networks or collision-resistant hash functions.
While the United States is leading initiatives such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) competition to standardize these new methods, China is moving forward with its own agenda, even exploring quantum cryptography based on quantum key distribution (QKD), a technology that would allow unhackable communications according to the laws of physics.
This silent competition between the two powers will determine who will first achieve a digital security standard capable of surviving in the quantum age.
In conclusion, recent advances in quantum computing, especially those achieved by Chinese scientists, have put the security of traditional cryptographic systems in check. It is imperative that the global community swiftly adopts post-quantum cryptography solutions to protect information in this new technological era.
Collaboration between researchers, businesses, and governments will be essential to ensure data confidentiality and security in a world where quantum computing is constantly redefining the boundaries of what’s possible.
