In the age of ever more complex and frequent cyber attacks the push for a better, more secure digital world is at a peak. To that end we have seen great promise in the quantum internet which is right at the front of technological development. This emerging field of science may be the key to a totally transformed cybersecurity structure which we see classical internet technologies as unable to provide.
Understanding the Quantum Internet
The quantum internet is a theoretical network that which uses quantum signals instead of classical ones for information transfer. It is based on principles of quantum mechanics especially in the areas of quantum entanglement and quantum superposition. Also unlike classical bits which represent info as 0s and 1s quantum bits (qubits) can at the same time be in many states which in turn offers new methods of information encoding and transmission.
In the case of the quantum internet a key feature is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). What we see in QKD is the use of quantum particles to develop secure encryption keys. Should a third party attempt to intercept these keys the quantum state of the system changes which in turn alerts sender and receiver to a security breach. This basic feature may in fact redefine what we consider to be secure communication.
Enhancing Cybersecurity with Quantum Internet
Today we see that which we term cyber security is made up of very complex encryption algorithms. But with the introduction of very powerful quantum computers we see that traditional encryption methods like RSA and ECC may in fact be broken. The quantum internet puts forth a different approach to this issue.
- Unhackable Communication: Quantum entanglement causes any interference or manipulation of the data to be detected which in turn exposes the intrusion. In theory this may produce communication which is proof against hacking.
- Secure Data Transmission: Sensitive sectors such as banking, defense, and health care may use quantum networks for transfer of private data which is free from eavesdropping.
- Future-Proofing: By getting into quantum communication at an early stage businesses and governments can prepare for a post-quantum world which may see present security measures made void.
Real-World Progress
While this may seem far off into the future at present, we have in fact seen great progress thus far. Researchers have reported success in quantum communication over distances of hundreds of kilometers via fiber optics as well as satellite. Also at the fore are the investments which the U.S. and China are putting into quantum research which includes the like of China’s Micius satellite which puts forward real world QKD applications.
In 2020 researchers in the U.S. put forth the first quantum internet design which presents a picture of what a global quantum network may look like.
Challenges Ahead
Although it was put forth with great promise, the quantum internet we see today is still in the midst of very large scale issues which it must grow past.
- Technological Hurdles: Quantum systems are very much at the effect of their environment which in turn makes it hard to maintain them over large scales.
- Infrastructure Requirements: Developing a new internet infrastructure which supports quantum communication will require large scale investment and global cooperation.
- Standardization: Creating of global standards for quantum communication protocols is key to security and interoperability.
