Summary
Encryption keeps data safe, even when it falls into the wrong hands.
But what happens in the future, when the available computational power renders current encryption methods obsolete?
Is your personal data at risk?
Apple
Whats a Harvest Now, Decrypt Later Attack?
The computers of today will never come close to cracking so-called gold standard 256-bit encryption schemes.
And those tools are coming, since the cryptographic algorithms weve come to rely on wont be safe forever.
We are now reaching the limits of how small these transistors can be.
This is why the next game-changing boost in computing power will come from quantum computers.
Todays quantum computers are huge, require significant cooling, and are still susceptible to errors.
Nobody needs your smartphone passcode if they can just break the lock.
For now, its a waiting game.
But just as computers move forward, so too does cryptography.
If the problem is too easy to solve, the solution is to make the problem harder.
How Are Companies Protecting Against Future Attacks?
Post-quantum cryptography hopes to safeguard encryption algorithms against the threats posed by quantum computers.
The good news is that you dont need quantum computers to design complex cryptographic problems.
Post-quantum encryption is already making its way into consumer technology.
Companies likeIBMalready offer quantum-safe cryptographic testing for enterprise clients and even offer to shore up protection against future attacks.
Governments around the world are among the first to start implementing these safeguards.
Theres a real incentive to put many more padlocks on the door than is necessary right now.
The better we protect current data, the better it will be protected in the future.
As computers become more powerful and capable, security must evolve to stay one step ahead.
This will always be the case.
Expect to see more of your everyday services implement quantum-proof safeguards in the years to come.
