The full power of next-generation quantum computing could soon be harnessed by millions of individuals and companies thanks to a breakthrough by scientists at Oxford’s Department of Physics guaranteeing security and privacy. The advance promises to unlock the transformative potential of cloud-based quantum computing and is detailed in a new study published in Physical Review Letters.
In the new study, the researchers use an approach known as ‘blind quantum computing’, which connects two totally separate quantum computing entities – potentially an individual at home or in an office accessing a cloud server – in a completely secure way. Importantly, their new methods could be scaled up to large quantum computations.
- Danterious ( @Danterious@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) 16•8 months ago
what use would a regular citizen have for a quantum computer?
“Guaranteeing security and privacy” could a strong argument imho.
- Danterious ( @Danterious@lemmy.dbzer0.com ) 7•8 months ago
couldn’t they get that with a regular computer?
- MagicShel ( @MagicShel@programming.dev ) 15•8 months ago
So regular cryptography is threatened by quantum computing, for sure. I imagine you’d wind up with some kind of quantum coprocessor like we used to have for math back in the day because quantum computing isn’t a replacement for current computers.
That said, cloud-based quantum cryptography has a big hole in it: the connection to the cloud.
- MonkderDritte ( @MonkderDritte@feddit.de ) 7•8 months ago
So regular cryptography is threatened by quantum computing
I don’t see that happen anytime soon. The theoretical advantage can’t be used because of practical disadvantages, so far.
- MagicShel ( @MagicShel@programming.dev ) 8•8 months ago
Agreed, although I wonder how much further ahead state actors are compared to common knowledge. Standard encryption will be broken before most of us are aware, I think.
- Umbrias ( @Umbrias@beehaw.org ) 5•8 months ago
There are plenty of quantum resistant cryptography methods that already exist and have existed for a decade or more.
- giloronfoo ( @giloronfoo@beehaw.org ) 7•8 months ago
Maybe not once quantum computers become more common.
Our current encryption methods can be represented as wave functions. This allows a sufficiently large quantum computer to solve for the keys in very little time.
There are new algorithms being developed that should defend against this. So you may still be correct.
- frezik ( @frezik@midwest.social ) 1•8 months ago
If you’re thinking of quantum encryption, that’s entirely separate from quantum computing.
- frezik ( @frezik@midwest.social ) 4•8 months ago
Limited, but there might be a few. Generating the best route between two locations might be one.
There’s some stuff at medium sized businesses that would be useful, like how to pack a box most efficiently. Or many boxes in a truck.
Maybe some fast sorting algorithms, or compression? Not sure if there’s algorithmic efficiency to gain, there.
- Omgboom ( @Omgboom@lemmy.zip ) 2•8 months ago
Bitcoin mining
- EtzBetz ( @EtzBetz@feddit.de ) 2•8 months ago
Your AI Girlfriend becoming even more real probably
- algorithmae ( @algorithmae@lemmy.sdf.org ) 6•8 months ago
What more likely to come out first: quantum computing or nuclear fusion?
- hydroptic ( @hydroptic@sopuli.xyz ) 1•8 months ago
Yes
- TehPers ( @TehPers@beehaw.org ) English1•8 months ago
Hasn’t nuclear fusion been out for a while? I thought the sun did that for us.
I also doubt quantum computing would make its way into the consumer market in any practical form for a long time. To begin with, there needs to be a demand for it, and as far as I can tell, there’s not really any application the average consumer uses that can benefit from quantum computing. A fission power plant, on the other hand…