Quantum cryptography seems to be the latest buzzword when high-tech fiction writers need some indecipherable technobabble to confuse and impress their audience. Recent examples include investigators lamenting unbreakable quantum encryption on CBS’s NCIS, or the military using it to prevent giant alien robots from intercepting satellite communications in Paramount’s latest Transformers blockbuster.
Despite all the exaggeration and hype, the practical application of quantum physics to computer networking is happening now -- and it’s incredibly cool. Indeed, quantum research could eventually enhance the security of Internet connections in deep space.
For those of us who are not quantum physicists (or Hollywood producers), there’s some confusion about how all this could occur.
Quantum mechanics is a set of principles that describe the physics of very small things like electrons, protons, and smaller subatomic particles. A key quantum theory called quantum entanglement describes a property in which the quantum states of two or more particles become “entangled,” meaning that the state of one particle is directly related to the state of the other.
For instance, photons that are split into smaller particles in science labs are considered entangled because their polarization is related no matter how far apart they are moved. The very act of measuring the quantum state of one particle will automatically establish the state of its counterpart -- even while they are spatially separated.
Imagine you and a friend halfway around the world, each simultaneously flipping one of two “entangled” coins, knowing that seeing heads on your coin always means tails on theirs… always. That’s a precise analogy for what is observed with entangled particles.
Since particles possess a quantum state, they can be used to convey information (just as a classical bit of computer memory possesses a binary state, either 0 or 1).
So how does this relate to cryptography and the Internet?
Cryptography is based on the principle that there are certain mathematical operations we can perform on data that can only be easily reproduced or reversed with knowledge of a secret “key.” These operations are used to authenticate the data that we exchange across computer networks -- including the Internet.
In quantum cryptography, the sender generates pair after pair of entangled particles. The cryptographic key is embedded in the quantum states of half of the particles, which are beamed to a recipient, while their entangled counterparts remain with the sender. Quantum mechanics ensures that any attempt to eavesdrop on keys will disturb the system, introducing detectable anomalies. Thus, quantum cryptography allows the keys to be exchanged without worrying about interception by an adversary; communication will be aborted if a secure key exchange is not possible.
However, quantum cryptography is only useful in the generation and distribution of keys; some encryption algorithm must still be used with the keys to enable communication over a channel. Further, a problem with quantum cryptography is that it requires that the entangled particles remain undisturbed as they are beamed from the sender to receiver. This requirement has limited the range of most quantum cryptography networks to about 150 kilometers over optical fiber.
Space-QUEST (Quantum Entanglement for Space Experiments) is a proposed mission from the European Space Agency to perform space-to-ground quantum communication tests from the International Space Station.
Source: European Space Agency (ESA)
If this research succeeds, could quantum entanglement be used to enable instantaneous, faster-than-light communication across the vast distances of space -- including across the “Deep Space Internet,” on which Internet pioneer Vint Cerf has been
working?
Speed-of-light delay between NASA’s Deep Space Network, which is set to be Internet enabled, and its Spirit and Opportunity rovers on Mars ranges from 3 to 22 minutes (depending on the distance between Mars and Earth). Could the paradox of quantum entanglement solve such problems by allowing what Albert Einstein called “spooky action" at a distance?
The answer is not yet settled. But depending on the outcome of ongoing research, quantum entanglement could someday enable faster-than-light, secure communication -- over a deep-space Web.
— Brian Barritt is a Space Communication Network Architect and contracted consultant at the NASA Glenn Research Center.
As someone who actually does work on Cryptography,I must say I really liked your explaination of Quantum Cryptography.It was very succint and to the point.
There is no doubt that it is a slighly difficult topic to understand and assimilate the first time around;but once you get the hang of itlits a pretty cool concept.
However,when it comes to commercial Applications-these are still some way off.There are a couple of Specialised providers;but they are beyond the reach of all except the most Paranoid Enterprises.
Brian! I have difficulties with the understanding of quantum theory (especially being a not native English speaker:)))ю However, I did my best to understand what you were talking about.And here goes the question. What are the possible dangerous consequences of that? There should be. They always are...
Paul Whyte, I'm so glad to realize that I am not the only one having some difficulties understanding this theory of mechanic quantum. For me, it is the time to congratulate the smart researchers who are working on it to improve space communication.
Of course, hacking is older than the technology itself; so as long as technology will improve, hackers will find another way to do their evil work. I think no matter what the advance in technology will be, hackers will still exist; this is an erverlasting struggle.
Right. Even if entanglement is found to allow for instantaneous communication, one would still need to transport the particles to the receiver before communicating -- which would be limited by the speed of light.
I'd meant this post to be more of an introduction to quantum entanglement and quantum cryptography (which seem to becoming a buzzword in television and media). My mention of the facinating possibility of instantaneous communication was meant as a closing teaser -- a idea that researchers apparently still think is unlikely, but perhaps plausible. My point here is that of the two applications of entanglement mentioned in my post, quantum cryptography is now used in real-world practice; but, the use of entanglement for faster-than-light communications (if possible) seems to be much farther off...
Combining quantum cryptography with quantum entanglement has been a staple of Science Fiction for well over a decade (quantum entanglement more than two decades). It's good to see that somebody may be reading this stuff and figuring out it is feasible.
I saw about a year ago that they move the maximum distance of quantum entanglement from a few meters to over 27 kilometers, so I figured the bright boys in the secret labs were working on this for the military. Having secure, untraceable, untappable point-to-point communications is something they would drool over.
The interesting thing, once they can mass-produce quantum entangled bits (call Qubits in SciFi and in quantum cryptography), is how robust of an environment can they handle? In deep space you have to deal with serious background radiation as well as the cosmic x-rays that happen by.
I know that satellite systems use mil-spec radiation hardened computer components to ensure they last for the desired life span. You can expect a stray cosmic x-ray to corrupt a bit or two now and then (even on the earth, most supercomputers log an average of 10 soft single-bit errors a day but they use single-bit correction/double-bit error detection hardware and software to handle this).
Expect that they will borrow heavily from NASA in building communcation systems where they have multiple redundancies, best of three voting, and the like.
I'll continue reading my SciFi to see what we can do next...
If your signature did not establish your credibility, your post could be dismissed.
I find this theory a stretch- certainly, dislocating particle fragments to different place and times is not easy. But can these particles be dislocated over space at time at a velocity faster than c?
I can understand how information might move 'instantly' between paerticles, but first you need to get the particle there, and this is limited by c.
You are not alone in finding it hard to understand the complexities of quantum mechanics. I belive majority of IE readers would share a similar frustration. I really don't care now a bit what quantum mechanics looks like. All I'm interested is , would it make our present insecure network secured? I'm even less enthusiaitic about quantum crytography exploits on the web in space, but more interested in our QC can help us realized ahigh bandwidth secure communication? Is it true that QC could lead to the 'death' of computer hackers or would the hackers be innovative as they have always been in the past, to find smart ways of breaching QC enhanced networks?
The quantum mechanic is one of mechanic's theory that has some complexities. Personnally it is hard for me to understand easily this theory when I Was a student. However, when I read your post, I see some practical applications of this theory and how researchers are working to use it to improve space communication via internet. I'm so impressed about this post and I wish you would come again on this topic.
Thanks for bringing up this issue of the relevance of quantum cryptography to the "earth web". Isn't the web here on earth in desperate need of an ultrafast secure web? With all the breaches in securities we are now experiencing on a mammoth scale, Quantum cryptography could just turn out to be the saving hand of a web that is facing great insecurities.
I found this title on a blog post that perfectly sums up our argument:
Computer Hackers R.I.P.: Making Quantum Cryptography Practical
Thanks to both of you for your kind words. It isn't often that happens in Internet Evolution. We seem to be at kinderhooks with many of the concepts presented, rather than actually grabbing onto a thought, chewing on it for a few minutes, and seeing if there's actually something to be said for the post.
I can add something, a theory and actually a very good one that someone might grab and go with.
Quantum Math is a system that doesn't limit computer languages to 0,1 or the binary languages used today. Instead theory says it's possible to have computer languages in multiple ways. These might be 0,1,2 with combinations higher and higher. Possibly 0,3,1,5,4 or some such. Of course it would take a lot of brainpower, with knowledge of Quantum Math, Physics and Mechanics, all three needed to make such a system work.
At 62 years old, and with a lot of health issues with my significant other (double hip replacement for one) and myself, numerous, I'd tackle the problem, just for something to do, if I had time.
My fondest hope is that someone, somewhere, hopefully DARPA or another organization, say a large corporation that specializes in software such as Microsoft or IBM or some of the open source people, the last a prospect that I find distasteful but possibly necessary inasmuch as a large number of people need to collaborate on the idea. I personally don't like open source nor the consortium that 'approves' applications. After all, I wonder how many good apps and concepts has that consortium turned down. Even Linus Torvald is seemingly disgusted with open source as it has turned out to be.
I say Microsoft or IBM because the two companies have the people with the necessary brains and certainly the money to hire them if they're not there to devote to the project. Google might have the money but the brains that would be behind the concept are devoted to making search and advertising get that company more money. Softie and Ibeam could easily set 50 or 100 people on the concept and see what happens.
After all, as Confucious said, the journey begins with a single step. I'd love to see someone take that step.
What's needed is revolution along with evolution, something that no one anywhere seems to want to begin.
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