Quantum computers are closer than scientists thought, and they may not need as many quantum bits (qubits) as previously estimated to break encryption schemes. Researchers report that a widely used type of encryption called elliptic curve cryptography could be cracked with just 9,988 qubits, taking around 1,000 days to do so.
To put this into perspective, researchers estimate that 26,000 qubits would allow the encryption to be broken in just one day, while another form of encryption, RSA-2048, would require 100,000 qubits and take 10 days to break. These findings suggest that quantum computers could soon contribute to areas like AI, chemistry, and materials science.
The breakthrough is largely thanks to improvements in quantum error correction, which makes faulty qubits reliable computational tools. This development has a huge implication on quantum computing and has given scientists new hope that these machines can work as intended.
However, the advance also raises concerns about internet security. The increased power of quantum computers could lay bare secret data and threaten cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which relies on elliptic curve cryptography. Experts are urging people to upgrade to quantum-resistant cryptography immediately.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/quantum-bits-crack-internet-encryption