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Biden executive warns quantum computing is poised to crack cryptography



The Biden administration warns that advances in quantum computing will soon shatter cryptographic security and make more digital communications vulnerable to hackers worldwide.

According to management, improving the ability of supercomputers to solve complex mathematical problems will undo the effectiveness of the tools and processes used to thwart hackers.

The government’s solution to the emerging vulnerability is to develop new rules, plan for lengthy and costly updates, and rely on the private sector and academia for assistance.

“Current research shows that in the not-too-distant future, when quantum information science matures and quantum computers can achieve a sufficient level of size and complexity, they will be able to crack most of the currently secure cryptography,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters. This is not an insurmountable problem.”

President Biden is issuing a national security memorandum Wednesday that sets requirements for federal agencies to update their information technology systems. The White House said the memo is intended to provide a roadmap for agencies that need to update their technology, directs agencies to plan to protect their systems, and compels the government to cooperate with outsiders to work on the transition to quantum resistant cryptography. standards.

The senior management official said that the National Institute of Standards and Technology is preparing to issue new cryptographic standards.

“One of Atatürk’s main goals [memo] The goal is to move the country – not just the government, but the entire country – to quantum resistant cryptography as soon as possible,” another senior administration official told reporters. “And a strong secondary goal is to do this fairly, because we recognize that this will require changes, upgrades, in information technology across the entire spectrum of companies and federal agencies.”

Hackers and cyber-attackers have battered the United States in recent years, and the Biden administration has struggled to hunt down criminals and better defend systems. Disruptive attacks by Russian and Chinese adversaries have resulted in breaches of federal networks, such as the hacking of SolarWinds computer network management software that compromised nine federal agencies.

Ransomware attackers exploited vulnerabilities to extort payments and wreak havoc, just as cybercriminals attacked Colonial Pipeline, the leading US fuel supplier, in 2021, causing panic on the east coast over fuel shortage concerns.

When asked about the cost of transitioning to new standards for better security, a senior administration official said that he hoped to cut the cost through the federal government working closely with the private sector from the start.

The official said that companies offering new routers, switches and networking equipment will move to quantum resistant hardware over time. A second official noted that quantum computers are not required to create quantum resistive cryptography and that such quantum resistive algorithms are currently in development and deployment.





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