Quantum Key Distribution: The Future of Cybersecurity

Quantum Computing opens an opportunity for innovation in many industries such as pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. It poses a threat, however, to the barricade between precious data and perverse hackers- cryptography. Luckily enough, there’s a solution, that complete renovates our current methods of encryption and it’s called quantum key distribution.

To first understand what quantum key distribution is we must learn about the basis of its formation.

QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY!!!

Quantum cryptography is the use of quantum mechanical properties to achieve cryptographic tasks. Cryptography is the practice of creating secure communication and every bit of financial data we have is shielded by it. It’s what protects money transfers and deposits. Pretty intense right?

Cybercrime stole $600 billion around the globe in 2018. For comparison, that’s the whole global domestic product (GDP) of Taiwan as of 2019! Imagine all of their services and goods disappearing in a year!

We simply cannot keep up technologically with hacking as it increases every year. What we need is a secure method of transfer and distribution. This is what quantum key distribution allows. Let’s look at an example:

Alice wants to send a message to Bob. The message is encoded as a safety precaution through a public channel. Alice also sends a random secret key in a different channel for Bob to use to decode the message. The key that they use is based on entanglement, that any connected qubits can only be measured by the other. If intercepted by a hacker the key will immediately lose superposition is not allow the interceptor to decode the message.

Quantum Key Distribution allows for the safe export of private keys that otherwise would be discovered!

How awesome is that?

Quantum Key distribution has a plethora of applications from money transfers to secure communications. Quantum key distribution is arguably the safest form of cryptography. Simply put, quantum key distribution allows for a communication unique to the two participating entities and avoid interception by nefarious third-parties. Quantum key distribution is the “key”… 😂

To a more secure world!