Quantum Cryptography

It's just a question of time before quantum computing enables a great leap in computing power, bringing with it far greater potential to crack current IT security systems. For the moment, quantum cryptography leads the race against quantum computing, and high-performing businesses and governments are closing the proverbial barn door before their data integrity has bolted or been stolen.

Quantum (or molecular) computing breakthroughs will, in future, bring an increase in processing power so dramatic it will be a "greater step than the move from the abacus to the calculating computer." Given that IT security systems rely on the complexity of practically unbreakable codes and algorithms to keep data secure, quantum computing has the potential to crack them more easily.

The history of cryptography is a succession of apparently unbreakable codes that have been compromised. Since Accenture Technology Labs sighted quantum computing's potential on the horizon, it has warned of the potential for future security breaches. While quantum computing seems to be years from practical application, it could ultimately unleash a hacker's "killer app" that breaks through IT security defenses. At the same time, quantum cryptography presents an opportunity for high-performance organizations to seize competitive differentiation and create a new line of defense against the cleverest marauders of the information age.

This Point of View article investigates and explains the following assertions:

• High-performing businesses and governments are looking to quantum cryptography, which also emerges from the field of quantum physics, to stay a step ahead of enterprising computer criminals.
  
  
• Quantum cryptography offers an important new line of defense—as well as an opportunity for competitive differentiation for early adopters of the technology.
  
  
• Quantum cryptography addresses the potential weakness of key distribution, a chink in the armor of today’s data security systems.
  
  
• Quantum key delivery provides dual advantages of more secure key management and less human intervention.
  
  
• Quantum cryptography offers the promise of true randomness for on-demand key generation, not available today.

Also covered are the industries most likely to be early adopters or beneficiaries of quantum cryptography.

Roland Hengerer is a researcher at Accenture Technology Labs in Sophia Antipolis, France.

Martin Illsley is the director of research for Accenture Technology Labs in Sophia Antipolis and leads the Labs' research in Intelligent Home Services.

David K. Black is a Senior Manager at Accenture, where he is an expert in Application Security, Security Authentication, Security Design and Development, and Web/Internet Security.