Beyond encryption: Why quantum computing might be more of a science boom than a cybersecurity bust
1 min read
Summary
A new piece in Venture Beat argues that while quantum computing will be able to break traditional encryption, the fear around this has been overstated and the threat is nowhere near as “dire” as some have made it seem, citing the difficulties in actually using quantum computers for decryption.
More broadly, the author suggests that while quantum computers will no doubt be used for decryption in the future, they will more likely be utilised for tasks such as science, healthcare and boosting economic productivity, rather than breaking encryption.
This is because, currently, quantum computers are very expensive to create and are not yet as fast to market as some expect, meaning that nation-states will only have a limited amount of computing power to actually use them for any activity.
It concludes by suggesting that while breaking encryption is one use case for quantum computers, it’s not at the top of the list of things nation-states or large corporations will use them for.