A report(opens in new tab) from IBM has claimed quantum computing poses an “existential risk” to the current encryption protocols that secure our most sensitive data, like digital transactions.
Protocols like public key cryptography (PKC) are said to be vulnerable “once quantum decryption solutions are viable”, which IBM calls the “harvest now, decrypt later” tactic.
“Even if some data is irrelevant or quickly loses its value to hackers, data related to national security, infrastructure, medical records, intellectual capital, and more could well retain or increase in value over time,” the company noted.
