Quantum Tunneling into Encrypted Vaults: Are Military Secrets Next?

Is the world’s most secure encryption standard on the verge of becoming obsolete, thanks to China’s quantum breakthrough?

Chinese researchers have leveraged a D-Wave quantum computer to mount what they claim is the first significant attack on Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) encryption algorithms, the backbone of widely used AES standards. This advancement raises alarms for sectors like banking and military operations that depend on these encryption methods. Although no specific passcodes have been cracked yet, the researchers warn that quantum advances may soon render even military-grade AES-256 vulnerable.

The team combined quantum annealing—a method simulating the heating and cooling of materials—with classical algorithms to tackle the Present, Gift-64, and Rectangle encryption systems. Unlike traditional methods that painstakingly climb every mathematical peak, quantum tunneling allows these specialized computers to bypass obstacles, solving problems with unprecedented speed.

Quantum’s potential is undeniable, but this breakthrough also underlines its limits. Environmental interference, immature hardware, and fragmented attack models still hinder quantum cryptography. How prepared are we to rethink encryption if tomorrow’s quantum advancements shatter today's digital defenses?

Read the full article on SCMP.

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