Our Quantum Judgement Day

The Slow Burn Towards The Future

The quantum computer’s impact on the world depends greatly on how we choose to use it. Hopefully, we will cure diseases and design new drugs. Or maybe we will solve the supply and demand issues that have plagued us the last few years. We will also have new challenges, aka the quantum apocalypse.

The quantum apocalypse is the dramatic label for when quantum computers compromise information that we consider safe and protected. For example, we assume a certain amount of privacy when we email because our messages are encrypted. Currently, the encryption methods are based on an algorithm complex for our standard computers to solve. The problem is that the algorithms used now are not necessarily complex for a quantum computer. Especially if there are tricks to simplify the problem.

If we wish to avoid this, we need to find algorithms that are difficult for classical and quantum computers to solve. In response, the National Institute of Science and Technology started a Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization program to define the safe algorithms resistant to quantum computers. The program has already announced a set of likely candidates.

The newly published standards are expected to be complete and available in 2024, but the program will soon notify of the finalized…