Monthly Archives: April 2022

China may have taken the lead in the race to practical quantum computing with a recent announcement that it has shattered a record for solving a complex problem.

In 2019, Googlereported that its 53-qubit Sycamore processor had completed in 3.3 minutes a task that would have taken a traditional supercomputerat least 2.5 days. Last October, Chinas 66-qubit Zuchongzhi 2 quantum processor reportedly completed the same task 1 million times faster. That processor was developed by a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, in conjunction with the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics and the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology.

Traditional supercomputers like those of the U.S. military and the Peoples Liberation Armys 56th Research Institute are used to conduct complex simulations for equipment design, process images and signals to spot targets and points of interest, and analyze oceans of data to understand hidden trends and connections. But some tasks remain time and resource intensive, for even the tiniest computing bits require time to flip between 1 and 0.

Superconducting quantum computers can bypass physical limits by creating a superposition of the 1 and 0 values. Essentially, standard computing bits must be either a 1 or a 0. But in extremely low temperatures, the physical properties of matter undergo significant changes. Superconducting quantum computers take advantage of these changes to create qubits (quantum bits), which are not limited by the processing hurdles that traditional computers face. Qubits can be both 1 or 0, simultaneously.This promises to speed up computing immensely, enabling assaults on henceforth uncrackable problems like decrypting currently unbreakable codes, pushing AI and machine learning to new heights, and designing entirely new materials, chemicals, and medicines.

The worlds scientific and military powers are spending billions of dollars in the race to turn this promise into reality. China has notched several notable advancements in recent years. In 2020, the University of Science and Technology of China, home of leading Chinese quantum computing scholarPan Jianwei, conducted the first space-based quantum communications, using the Micius satellite to create an ultra-secure data link between two ground stations separated by more than 1,000 miles.

In October, a Chinese teamreported that its light-based Jiuzhang 2 processor could complete a task in one millisecond that a conventional computer would require 30 trillion years to finish. This breakthrough marked a new top speed for a quantum processor whose qubits are light-based, not superconducting. The quantum states needed for the superconducting computers to function are delicate, can be unstable, and are prone to causing large numbers of errors. However, light-based supercomputers also have theirdrawbacks, as it is difficult to increase the number of photons in this type of quantum computer, due to their delicate state. It remains to be seen which method will be more prevalent.

These achievements stem from Beijings emphasis on quantum computing research. China is reportedly investing $10 billion in the field, and says it increased national R&D spending by 7 percent last year. By contrast, the U.S. government devoted $1.2 billion to quantum computing research in 2018 under a newnational strategy. Last year, the Senatepassed a bill to create aDirectorate of Technology and Innovation at the National Science Foundation, and add $29 billion for research into quantum computing and artificial intelligence from 2022 to 2026, but it awaits reconciliation with a similar billpassed by the House last month.

Chinese researchers, firms, and agencies now hold morepatents in quantum tech than does the United States (although U.S. companies have more in the specific field of quantum computing), amid allegations that these advancements benefit from stolen U.S. work. A year ago, the Commerce Departmentblacklisted seven supercomputing entities for their association with the Peoples Liberation Army. Further, there is evidence that the Chinese government has been stealing encrypted U.S. government and commercial data, warehousing it against the day when quantum computers can break todays encryption.

We are still a few years away from seeing a real advent of quantum computing. Currently, most quantum computers are able to coherently operate with around50 qubits. To realize quantum computings full potential in codebreaking, for example, would require qubit amounts in thethousands. But progress is being made. IBMreportedly produced a 127-qubit superconducting quantum computer in November,intends to unveil a 400-qubit processor this year, and aims to produce a 1,000-qubit processor in 2023.

Given the enormous strategic potential of quantum computing in a wide variety of fields, this competition is set to only grow more intense in the near future. Whether the U.S. can keep pace remains to be seen.

Thomas Corbett is a research analyst with BluePath Labs. His areas of focus include Chinese foreign relations, emerging technology, and international economics.

P.W. Singer is a strategist at New America and the author of multiple books on technology and security, includingWired for War,Ghost Fleet,Burn-In, andLikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media.

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China May Have Just Taken the Lead in the Quantum Computing Race - Defense One

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Trapped-ion quantum computer manufacturer IonQ is on a roll. Recently, the company said its IonQ Aria system hit the 20 algorithmic qubit level a measure said to reflect a quantum computers qubits actual utility in real-world settings. The company also made IonQ Aria available on Microsofts Azure Quantum platform for what it describes as an extended beta program.

Moreover, IonQ reported its first quarter as a publicly traded company. It reportedly gained $2.1 million in revenue in 2021 and expects revenue for 2022 to be between $10.2 million and $10.7 million. For quantum computing, it is still early days when the players seek big partners to test out concepts.

A net loss of $106.2 million for 2021 belies the challenges ahead for IonQ, as well as other multi-state quantum computing players that look to surpass conventional binary computers someday. Early application targets for such machines include cryptography, financial modeling, electric vehicle battery chemistry and logistics.

By some measures, IonQ was late to the quantum computing race in 2019, when it first announced access to its platform via cloud partnerships with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. An appearance on Google Cloud marketplace followed, thus making a Big 3 cloud hat-trick, one that other quantum players can also assert.

But, if IonQ was later to the quantum computing race, it was early to the quantum computing IPO.

Last year, IonQ claimed standing as the worlds first public pure-play quantum computing company. The IPO transpired as part of a SPAC, or Special Purpose Acquisition Company, which has come to be seen as an easier mechanism companies might use to enter the public markets.

The SPAC path is not without controversy, as companies taking this route have seen their shares slide after less than splashy intros. That doesnt bother Peter Chapman, CEO of IonQ. The company grossed $636 million in a SPAC-borne IPO that will go toward the long-awaited commercializing of quantum hardware, Chapman told VentureBeat.

I no longer have to think about raising money and we are no longer subject to market whims or external affairs, which seems, with [war in] Ukraine and everything else going on, like a really good decision, he said.

The IPO funding also gives IonQ staff a clear gauge on their stock options worth, he said, adding that this is important in the quantum talent war that pits IonQ versus some of the biggest tech companies in the world, many of which use superconducting circuits rather than ion trapping.

Clearly, raising large sums from VCs or public markets is a to-do item for quantum computing hardware makers like IonQ. The company arose out of academic labs at the University of Maryland that were originally propelled by a research partnership in quantum science with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Now, it must move lab prototypes into production, which is where much of the moneys raised will be spent as quantum computers seek to go commercial, Chapman indicated.

We knew that within roughly 18 months from IPO, we were going to be gearing up for manufacturing and that was going to require a lot more money. And so being able to run faster, was also a huge piece of what we wanted to be able to do, Chapman said.

Moving to larger scale production is a hurdle for all quantum players. Ion-trapping technology advocates may claim some edge there, in that parts of their base technology employ methods have long been used in atomic clocks.

With atomic clocks, you take ions and suspend them in a vacuum, levitate them above the surface using an RF field and you isolate them perfectly. Theyre very stable and theyre extremely accurate, Chapman said, touching on a factor that leads ion-trapping advocates to claim qubits with better coherence that is, ability to retain information than competitive methods.

Chapman notes that important atomic clock components have undergone miniaturization over the years and versions now appear as compact modules in navigational satellites. That augurs the kind of miniaturization that would help move the quantum computer out of the lab and into data centers. Of course, there are other hurdles ahead.

For IonQ, another bow to manufacturability is seen in the companys recent move from ytterbium ions to barium ions. This is said to create qubits of much higher fidelity.

In February, IonQ announced a public-private partnership with Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) to build a sustainable source of barium qubits to power its IonQ Aria systems.

Chapman said the ions of barium qubits are controlled primarily with visible light, rather than the ultraviolet light that ytterbium set-ups require. Such UV light can be damaging to hardware components, so visible light has benefits over UV light.

More important, according to Chapman, is the fact that so many commercial silicon photonics work in the visible spectrum. Using the same technology found in a range of existing commercial products is useful as quantum computing looks to miniaturize and boost reliability.

Along with IonQs partnerships with cloud players, comes a series of partnerships with industry movers such as Hyundai Motor (for electric battery chemistry modeling), GE Research (for risk management) and Fidelitys Center for Applied Technology (for quantum machine learning for finance). More such deals can be expected, as IonQs quantum computing efforts ramp up and roll out.

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After the IPO: IonQ takes on highly charged quantum computing challenge - VentureBeat

Advancements in quantum computing have made it a popular career choice in 2022

Quantum computing has been on the slug for quite a long period of time. But recently, the technology has been buzzing with advanced innovations that are changing the modern tech industry. Quantum computing has become a game-changer in fields like cryptography, chemistry, material science, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. As technology advances, the problems of global crises become even more complex. During the Covid pandemic, quantum research unraveled several creative tools and innovations that enhanced the confidence of researchers in quantum computing. Emerging as one of the trendiest technologies in the industry, there are several universities and colleges that are encouraging quantum research initiatives and programs for their students. These quantum computing universities possess the best faculty, laboratories, and tools that can help the students to develop their own creations. In this article, we have listed such top quantum computing universities that provide world-class infrastructure for tech aspirants to excel in the quantum computing domain through quantum research and other initiatives.

The University of Waterloo is offering quantum computing courses and advanced research programs for quantum students. It has published over 1500 research papers since its inception. This institute has the potential to combine academic excellence with entrepreneurial innovation to bring out the best of what technology and intellect have to offer.

The university was the first to work on the pure state NMR quantum computing which was demonstrated at Oxford and the University of York. The universitys quantum research department is among the top. It arranges research initiatives that aim to utilize the vast potential of quantum tech. The faculty aims to produce pioneers in the technology who will be responsible to innovate for the benefit of society.

Harvard claims that the Harvard Quantum Initiative in Science and Engineering involves a community of researchers with an intense interest in advancing the science and engineering of quantum systems and applications. The group of quantum researchers at Harvard is trying to build the second quantum revolution and accelerate advances in this domain.

MIT is known to be a research giant. Its branches extend to artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The universitys strength in theoretical physics is now leveraged into quantum information and computing. MIT researchers wish to explore quantum algorithms and complexity, quantum information theory, measurement, control, and connections.

The Berkeley Center for Quantum Computation and Information includes analysts from the domains of engineering, chemistry, and physical sciences. These researchers and analysts work on central issues in quantum gadgets, cryptography, quantum data hypothesis, calculations, and others for the introduction of advanced quantum PCs.

The Joint Quantum Institute includes quantum researchers from the Department of National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Physics of the University of Maryland. Each of these institutes contributes to major hypothetical and exploratory examination programs with a focus on control and sending the quantum framework.

The University of Sydney focuses on the challenging problems of quantum computing and applying these insights to construct new technologies. The scientific research initiatives undertaken by this university mainly focus on deep industrial and entrepreneurial activities.

The Chicago Quantum Exchange showcases a distinct fascination for modern endeavors and propelling scholastics in the designing and study of quantum data and computing. Their goal is to advance the id and investigation of quantum data and computing advances and furthermore the improvement of new applications.

The Universitys division of quantum physics and information specializes in the domain of quantum optics. The division lists the primary foundation for foundations, which are filter-based quantum communication, quantum memory and quantum repeater, and other distinct paradigms.

Researchers at the University of Innsbrucks Quantum Information and Computation department study models for quantum information processing and fundamental aspects of quantum information theory. The focus of their research is the theory of measurement-based quantum computation, which will result in a new and more thorough understanding of multi-body entanglement as a resource.

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10 Universities Unleashing the Best Quantum Computing Research - Analytics Insight

Quantum resistant cryptography will be a key part of cybersecurity in the future. Heres what to know about how to protect your data when hackers are armed with quantum computers

Quantum computing is a contentious topic that people tend to either love or hate depending on where theyre seated. On one hand, it represents an incredible opportunity in terms of data processing speeds and capabilities. On the other, its a means through which to destroy the cryptographic algorithms we now rely on to keep sensitive data secure online. This is where something known as quantum resistant encryption comes into play.

But what is quantum resistant encryption? This article explores the history of quantum computing in cryptography, why its a threat to modern online security, and what organizations can do to prepare to implement quantum safe cryptography within their IT environments.

Lets hash it out.

In a nutshell, quantum resistant encryption refers to a set of algorithms that are anticipated to remain secure once quantum computing moves out of the lab and into the real world. (They will replace the public key cryptography algorithms currently used by billions of people around the world every day.)

By the way, when people use any of the following terms, theyre typically talking about the same thing (in most cases):

All of the public key encryption algorithms we currently rely on today are expected to be broken once researchers succeed in building large enough quantum computer. Once that happens, quantum resistant encryption will need to be used everywhere (both by normal [i.e., classical] and quantum computers) so that attackers with quantum computers cant break the encryption to steal data.

Quantum computers are fundamentally different from the computers we use today. These devices use specialized hardware components that bring quantum physics into the equation and allows them to perform certain calculations exponentially faster than even the fastest supercomputer we currently have. (Well speak to that more later in the article.)

Current public key cryptographic algorithms rely on complex mathematics (for example, the RSA encryption algorithm relies on factoring prime numbers while Diffie-Hellman and elliptic curve cryptography, or ECC, rely on the discrete logarithm problem) to securely transmit data. This means that every time you buy an item on Amazon, your browser communicates with Amazons web server via a mathematically derived secure communication channel based on one of these mathematical approaches.

The problem is that some quantum computers will be able to solve these mathematical problems so quickly that hackers would be able to break modern public key encryption within minutes. (Basically, rendering the encryption public key algorithms provide useless.)

According to the National Security Agency (NSA), quantum resistant cryptography should be resistant to cryptanalytic attacks from both classical and quantum computers. With this in mind, these algorithms would be something that can be used both before and after quantum computers are put to use in real-world applications. Theyre designed with quantum computing threats in mind, but theyre not limited to being used only after a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) is created.

Currently, encryption over insecure channels (e.g., the internet) relies on something known as public key cryptography. The idea behind traditional public key algorithms is that two parties (i.e., your websites server and the customer who wants to connect to it) can communicate securely using two separate but related keys: a public key that encrypts data and a private key that decrypts it. They use these keys to exchange secret information that they can use to create a secure, symmetrically encrypted communication channel. (Why symmetric encryption? Because its faster and less resource-intensive than public key encryption.)

Unlike modern algorithms, quantum resistant encryption algorithms will replace existing public key specifications with ones that are thought to be quantum resistant. Again, this is because the modern digital signature and key establishment algorithms we rely on in public key encryption now will no longer be secure when CRQCs become a thing.

NIST says that quantum resistant algorithms typically fall in one of three main camps:

There is a fourth category that some reference stateful hashed-based signatures. But according to NISTs PQC FAQs page:

It is expected that NIST will only approve a stateful hash-based signature standard for use in a limited range of signature applications, such as code signing, where most implementations will be able to securely deal with the requirement to keep state.

We cant give you a specific answer here because, well, nothing has really been decided yet. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been engaged in a large-scale cryptographic competition of sorts for the past several years. The competition is an opportunity for mathematicians, researchers, cryptographers, educators and scientists to submit algorithms for consideration as future federal standards.

The standards body announced their selection of seven candidates and eight alternate algorithm candidates from the third round of submissions. However, no final decisions have been made regarding which algorithm(s) will be standardized:

To better understand quantum resistant encryption and why its needed, you first need to understand quantum computers and their anticipated impact on cyber security. The idea behind quantum computing is that these devices use quantum mechanics to approach problem solving the general goal of all modern computers in a whole new way and at exponentially faster speeds.

According to research from Mavroeidis, Vishi, Zych, and Jsang at the University of Oslo, Norway, there are two types of quantum computers:

At a basic level, the computers we use today (classical computers) communicate data using specific combinations of 1s and 0s (binary numbers called bits). All modern computers play by these same rules. For example, if I type the word Howdy! the computer uses this combination of bits to communicate the precise combination of keys I press: 01001000 01101111 01110111 01100100 01111001 00100001.

Quantum computers, on the other hand, operate on a new playing field using a different set of rules. Instead of these traditional bits (1s or 0s), it relies on quantum bits, or qubits for short. In a nutshell, instead of looking at either 1s or 0s, quantum computers view data as existing in multiple states, meaning that it can be both 1s and 0s simultaneously (this is known as a superposition). It also uses two other quantum properties entanglement and interference to connect separate data elements and eliminate irrelevant guesses to solve problems more quickly.

Of course, not all qubits are the same. Microsoft recently announced that their Azure Quantum program has unlocked the first step to developing a new type of qubit called a topological qubit. The goal is to resolve the scaling-related issues that other quantum computers face and to eventually help lead to the creation of a quantum computer capable of employing one million or more qubits. (Check out the linked article for more information on Microsofts demonstration.)

Were not going to get into all of the technical aspects of the other quantum properties we mentioned here, either. If you want to learn more about superposition, entanglement and interference, check out this video that explains these concepts in a few different ways:

The takeaway we want you to have is that, on one hand, some quantum computers are poised to solve problems beyond what modern supercomputers can do but faster and more efficiently. They also have the potential for other unimaginable capabilities to do things we havent even thought of yet. On the other hand, some quantum computers are anticipated to be no better than classical computers for some types of tasks. But trying to predict the future in terms of the full impact of quantum computers in the future is easier said than done.

Our understanding of quantum computing is largely theoretical so far, quantum computers can only be used in laboratories due to the machines massive resource and cooling requirements. Quantum chips have to be kept super cold (at -273 degrees Celsius, or what amounts to nearly absolute zero) to operate, and they can only operate for very short bursts. But the concern that cybersecurity and industry leaders have is that as quantum computers eventually become more mainstream, theyll make existing public key encryption algorithms namely, RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) essentially useless.

This concern is due to a concept known as Shors Algorithm. The basic overview of the concern about this algorithm, which was first demonstrated in 1994 by the guy who created it (mathematician Peter Shor), is that a powerful enough quantum computer would be able to crack modern public key algorithms pretty much instantly. How would it do this? By having the ability to calculate the factors of enormous numbers i.e., the math that operates at the very heart of modern public key encryption at faster rates than any modern devices could manage.

When you try to crack asymmetric encryption (say, RSA) using a classical computer, youre essentially trying to guess the factors of those mega-sized integers. As you can imagine, this will take a really long time using a regular computer. But with quantum properties like superposition, entanglement and interference coming into play, it can reduce the time required to make those guesses (or eliminate the need to guess some of the numbers entirely) to basically nothing. For example, while it would take upwards of millions of years for traditional computers to figure out the prime factors of 2,000+ bit numbers, a quantum computer could complete the same task within minutes.

While this enhanced speed will be great for creating positive solutions to problems such as coming up with revolutionary new treatments or cures for medical conditions it also poses a problem if these devices fall into the wrong hands.

Now, were not telling you all of this to scare you. The truth is that the threats that quantum computing represents arent new concepts, nor do they represent threats to your business and customers right now. The concept of quantum computing and all of its benefits and dangers has been around for decades and isnt expected to come to fruition yet.

Heres an overview of the history of quantum computing and how the development of quantum resistant cryptography plays a key role in it:

Here are links relating to some of the points on the timeline above:

So, how long is all of this expected to take? The answer depends on who you ask and in what context:

As youve probably seen, change tends to be relatively slow in the cryptographic world. Lets think about it another way. When TLS 1.2 was developed, TLS versions 1.1 and 1.0 were outmoded, but theyre still in use on the web and havent gone away completely. (Were at 14 years and counting at this point since TLS 1.2 was initially released and we now have TLS 1.3, which came out in 2018!)

As we touched on earlier, NIST is working on finalizing the selection of the final algorithms that will become standardized. Once final PQC algorithms are selected, then the next move will be to publish PQC standards as Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and move on to implementations and deployments. Once this occurs, the Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program (CAPV) will provide certifications for approved implementations of these approved PQC algorithms.

We bring this all up now because were drawing closer to a future when quantum computers are anticipated to become mainstream. It wont happen today, tomorrow, or likely even five years from now. But when it does, organizations will need to be able to support and use the quantum resistant encryption algorithms necessary to help keep data secure in this super-powered computer processing world to come. And things are changing now to prepare for that inevitable future.

On Jan. 19, 2022, the White House released a memorandum specifying that agencies have 180 days to identify any instances of encryption not in compliance with NSA-approved Quantum-Resistant Algorithms or CNSA [] and must report the following to the National Manager:

What does all of this mean at the level of your organization or company? In reality, not much right now for everyday businesses. But lets be realistic here its virtually impossible to be compliant with rules that havent yet been implemented. Its kind of like playing a new sport say, soccer when you dont yet know the rules or how to play it. Sure, you can go through the motions and move the ball down the field. But if you dont know how youre supposed to do it or which goal to aim for specifically, no telling if youre doing it right or if youre moving in the right direction.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was anticipating the release of its PQC Round 3 Report by the end of March or early April 2022. (Theres also been talk about announcing a fourth round of study as well.) Now, in all fairness, weve just started the month of April a week ago. But considering that agencies are expected to be compliant with quantum-resistant algorithms by basically July 2022, and the algorithms themselves havent officially been decided upon well, that sure makes things a lot more difficult for organizations that have to be compliant.

However, once NIST decides which algorithm(s) will become the standard, then its up to businesses and organizations to ensure that theyre not using or relying upon any algorithms that may have been deprecated. The standards body is expected to have draft PQC standards available for public comment before the end of 2023 and aims to have a finalized standard ready the following year.

Youll find that many experts typically sit in one of two camps when it comes to the topic of quantum computing and quantum resistant cryptography. On one end of the spectrum, the first camp aptly named Panicville in the illustration above essentially operates under the assumption that the end of near! Cybersecurity as we know it is about to come crashing down around us at any moment! BEWARE!

The second camp, which weve named Chillville in the above graphic, tends to take very different approach. The perspective here is typically that quantum computing is still a long way off, that its too impractical for real-world applications, or that its something we likely wont have to deal with for years to come, so theres no point in worrying about it now.

Needless to say, neither of these approaches is particularly healthy or beneficial to the security of your organization and its data. Thankfully, though, other experts tend to fall somewhere in the middle lets call it Preparationville. The purveying mindset of experts who sit within this space between the two main camps is that:

Here at Hashed Out, we definitely fall more in the middle of the spectrum; were not panicking about the changes to come but are strongly encouraging customers to start preparing now to the best of their abilities. The NSA shares on its Post-Quantum Cybersecurity Resources site that while it doesnt know when or even if a system capable of cracking public key encryption will make its debut. However, it does make it clear that preparing for an eventual transition to post-quantum cryptographic standards is a must for data security in the future.

Better to be safe than sorry, right?

Great. So, youre being told to prepare, but its hard to prepare for something when you dont really know what tools youll have at your disposal to work with. Its like trying to prepare for a disaster as a homeowner you might not know when something bad will happen, but youre going to take steps to mitigate potential impacts as much as possible.

The same concept here applies with preparing for quantum cryptography. While you may not know which algorithms specifically will be standardized, or specifically when quantum resistant cryptography will need to be implemented, you know its likely going to happen and that you should take steps now to prepare for it.

We get it theres definitely a strong case of you dont know what you dont know going on here. However, you can take steps to stay ahead of the curve as much as possible by taking the time to research and plan your strategy now. Part of this planning should include:

We cant overstate the importance of this task as its something you should already be doing anyhow. Auditing your organizations cryptographic systems, IT infrastructure and applications is crucial for a multitude of reasons. Furthermore, it can aid you as well with the development of your PQC planning and deciding what gets upgraded and when.

If your organization is running on older servers and other related infrastructure, youre likely to need to upgrade before quantum cryptography makes its debut. Something to consider includes having servers with redundant distributed databases that use PQC digital signature algorithms that are connected via quantum key distributed (QKD) connections. (QKD is a concept thats been around since the 80s and involves using quantum mechanics to distribute keys between communicating parties in traditional symmetric algorithm-protected connections.) The idea here is that this may help to protect against quantum attacks and aid in recovery from successful attacks.

What about hardware security modules? Is your organization using one in-house? Is it relying on a third party system? Ensure that whatever HSM youre using has a roadmap to support quantum safe encryption.

We understand your hesitation and dread updating your existing infrastructure is a massive undertaking. It involves major investments in money, time, and personnel-related resources. But this is why its crucial to start planning for and begin implementing these upgrades now. If you roll out the upgrade to your systems over time, it means you wont have to blow all of your capital budget in a single year or two, or risk rushing implementation (which can lead to mistakes) because you decided to wait until crap hits the fan.

Essentially, youre carefully preparing for the impending storm ahead of time (as much as you can). This way, your organization will be less likely to get caught in the downpour others will get swept away in.

The NSA also offers the Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite (CNSA Suite), which is a set of algorithms that the Committee on National Security Systems Policy 15 (CNSSP-15) has identified for protecting classified information (listed in alphabetical order):

Broken cryptosystems are the ugly companion of all the advancements that quantum computing has to offer. This is why major certificate authorities like DigiCert and Sectigo are working now to help prepare for a PQC world on their ends by creating PQC certificate authorities (CAs) and certificates.

DigiCert, which plays a key role in multiple PQC projects, offers a PQC Toolkit to Secure Site Pro customers. This toolkit offers hybrid RSA/PQC certificates, which pair PQC algorithms with classical ones. The goal here is for these certificates to work on both legacy systems (to offer backwards compatibility) and quantum systems once quantum computers finally roll out.

DigiCert estimates that it would take a traditional computer a few quadrillion years to break modern 2048-bit encryption. But considering that we dont know exactly when quantum devices are going to come charging onto the scene, its a good idea to start preparing now for when it does happen. This is why the CA also has created a resource that breaks down the Post Quantum Cryptography Maturity Model. You can use this to figure out how well prepared your organization is (or isnt) for whats the come.

Sectigos Senior Vice President of Product Management Lindsay Kent spoke during one of the companys Identity-First Summit 2022 presentations on certificate lifecycle management. Kent said that the certificate authority expects to have quantum safe security in place by 2026. The plan includes providing customers with a Quantum Safe Toolkit as well that aims to help companies:

The goal here for both CAs is to help companies use these certificates to facilitate quantum safe application-based authentication (instead of network-based authentication) and secure communications via TLS sessions. Its also to ensure that organizations can have certificates in place that support both PQC algorithms and the traditional algorithms that we have in place now.

Wait, doesnt offering backwards compatibility mean that users on classical devices will still be connecting via protocols relying on insecure algorithms once quantum computers become mainstream? Yes. But if you want to continue providing services to customers using legacy systems, thats going to continue until they eventually make the change.

An important part of the planning we talked about earlier is taking the time to review and make changes to your organizations existing internal security procedures and related documentation. Some of the things youll want to consider is what quantum resistant secure access controls and authentication measures youll need to implement. As youve probably guessed, your existing controls wont cut it in a PQC world, so everything will need to be updated to be quantum resistant once NIST publishes its standards.

As we talked about earlier, the widespread use of quantum computing and, therefore, the deployment of quantum resistant cryptography is still on the horizon but is likely at least a good decade or so away. But thats why now is the time to prepare for PQC to help your business stay ahead of the curve. You dont want to be one of the organizations caught unprepared when quantum computers make their mainstream debut.

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A Look at Quantum Resistant Encryption & Why It's Critical to Future Cybersecurity - Hashed Out by The SSL Store

BENGALURU, India & MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QpiAI, a leader in quantum computing and AI today announced a MoU with Finland based, Oxford University spinout QuantrolOx. The two companies will work together to provide complete quantum solutions to customers in Europe, India and Asia.

Dr Nagendra Nagaraja CEO and Founder of QpiAI, suggested, India and Finland have had a close working relationship in telecom technologies. Both countries have now worked out a detailed plan for establishment of the Indo-Finnish Virtual Network Center on Quantum Computing. The MoU between QpiAI and QuantrolOx will further add to this momentum by providing advanced quantum computing testbeds for Indian and Finnish quantum companies and research labs to test and develop their quantum technologies.

"QpiAI is also working on semiconductor-based spin qubit technology, which is highly scalable and uses the mature semiconductor fabrication process. QpiAI has software and platform products in the market. It will transition its software platforms which currently run on the GPU and CPUs to its 3-chip solution of hybrid classical-Quantum compute by providing 20x -100x performance improvements in optimization workloads.

"There is a massive market opportunity in India, Asia and Europe for quantum computing technologies including quantum processors, quantum communication, quantum cloud computing and superconductors. Central to these opportunities is a scalable quantum computing technology that has the potential to automatically tune qubits and characterize quantum processors. While QpiAI is developing hardware including control board, RF and microwave-based quantum control chip and quantum processors and software applications software platforms and quantum algorithms, QuantrolOx is working on automated tuning and characterisation software."

Vishal Chatrath CEO of QuantrolOx and Prof. Andrew Briggs Executive Chairman of QuantrolOx, Professor at University of Oxford, are joining the advisory board of QpiAI to enable strategic alignment between the two companies. QpiAI Advisory board also has industry stalwarts like Dr Madhusudan Atre - former India head and Managing Director of AMD, Applied Materials, LSI, Lucent Microelectronics; and also advisor to startups and incubators. QpiAI board also has Dr Navakant Bhat who is former Chair of CeNSE and currently Dean of IISc.

With the Indian governments commitment of $1 Billion to the Indian quantum industry, we see India as a major market. We are excited to provide QuantrolOx technology to Indias first 25-qubit quantum computing testbed. This is just the beginning of our partnership with QpiAI to develop joint products and solutions for the global marketplace, added Vishal Chatrath, CEO and co-founder of QuantrolOx.

Ultimately, the challenge going forward for the industry to scale will be to create a supply chain in which specialist companies can focus on their core strengths. Such ecosystems will lead innovation and drive down costs so that in the next 5-10 years the world will have not 10s of quantum computers but thousands and possibly even 10s of thousands of quantum computers. I am excited at the prospect of a new quantum ecosystem developing between Oxford, Finland and India, added Prof Andrew Briggs, Executive Chair of QuantrolOx.

Having Quantum technology development in India will create next generation high-technology jobs in cutting edge research and technology development. This also builds ecosystem for leading inter-disciplinary R&D. I am very glad to see QpiAI forge partnership with QuantrolOx and lay the foundation for India-Finland partnership in the area of Quantum technology. We are glad that we will be working with Dr Andrew and Vishal to make Quantum computing commercially available across India, Europe and southeast Asia for industrial sectors," Dr Atre suggested.

"When we were first discussing Quantum hardware in India in 2020, that was before pandemic, Dr Nagendra was suggesting 20 qubit setup by 2024 in Bangalore. Now with this partnership it looks like we will be having multiple 25 Qubit testbeds right here in Bangalore by the end of 2022. This should enable a thriving Quantum ecosystem. Currently 25 qubits is based on superconductors and eventually 2048 qubits based on CMOS spin qubits will be very exciting. 2048 logical qubits can enable a lot of commercial applications. We would like to use all our expertise in CMOS fabrication to make this technology breakthrough happen. That would be a major technology breakthrough from India. We would like to see Dr Nagendra and team achieve the same as soon as possible with a lot of collaboration with Quantum ecosystems including QuantrolOx , Oxford and the IISc community. QpiAI has an excellent team and building commercial grade Quantum computers right here in Bangalore is very exciting. It is great to see collaboration between India and Finland to form this thriving Quantum ecosystem. The association of QpiAI with Dr Andrew and Vishal is a major step forward in achieving this goal," added Dr Navakant.

This partnership will create revenue generation opportunities for both the companies, QpiAI has QpiAISense hardware platform for controlling qubits ready to be shipped, on which QuantrolOx will develop control software for both superconducting and semiconductor-based spin qubits.

QpiAI is building its own quantum computing lab to house cryogenic electronics and is in process to acquire land for Indias first private quantum computing lab facility. The QpiAI quantum lab will be part of bigger Qpi Technology Quantum Park, which houses the labs and manufacturing facility for its subsidiaries like super conductor based single photon detector, single photon source, HTS tapes and HTS cables for SuperQ, solid state battery prototyping facility for Qpivolta using Quantum and AI technologies and labs for Qpivolta-ET for Energy transition experiments using material discovery and carbon capture, Silicon photonics testing lab for Qpisemi for its AI20P AI processors and lab scale model Quantum data center designed by Qpicloud. Currently Qpicloud which is incubated in DSCI (Data security Council of India) NCoE (National Center of Excellence) for cybersecurity, is also working on Quantum security for data centers and cloud computing, whose lab will be enabled in Qpi Technology Quantum Park.

QpiAI is expanding in Finland to enable partnership with European quantum ecosystems. QpiAI already has a subsidiary in the US QpiAI Inc. QpiAI also intends to open an office in Japan for customer support and after sales support for Japanese customers.

With partnerships and global presence, QpiAI which is a revenue generating and profitable Quantum compute and AI company, which is vertically integrating AI and Quantum compute and has customers across the world, is scaling its business to next level to become major global player in AI and Quantum compute.

About QpiAI

QpiAI (https://www.qpiai.tech) is World leader in AI and Quantum computing. QpiAI is integrating Quantum computing and AI vertically to offer solutions to areas like manufacturing, industrial, transportation, finance, pharma and materials. It has various software platforms and products including QpiAI-pro, QpiAI-explorer, QpiAI-logistics, QpiAIopt, QpiAIsim, QpiAIML. It is building complete hardware stack based on 3 chip solutions of Trion (universal optimizer Chip), Bumblebee (scalable cryogenic control chip) and scalable spin-qubit based QPU (Quantum processing unit) , which can be scalable to 2048 logical qubits. QpiAI is currently ready with room temperature control electronics based on its hardware platform QpiAIsense. QpiAI is subsidiary of Qpi Technology (https://www.qpitech.holdings).

About QuantrolOx

QuantrolOx (https://quantrolox.com/), an Anglo-Finnish spinout from University of Oxford, is building automated machine learning based control software for quantum technologies to tune, stabilise, and optimise qubits. QuantrolOxs software is technology agnostic and applicable to all types of quantum technologies. Initially the company is targeting solid-state qubits where the team has already demonstrated substantial practical benefits.

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QpiAI and QuantrolOx sign a MoU to jointly develop India's first 25-qubit quantum computing testbed and offerings for the European and Indian markets...

Quantum Software and Services Leader Will Use Funding to Develop New Quantum Software APIs for Deep Learning and Finance and Fuel Expansion of European Operations in Paris

PALO ALTO, Calif. and PARIS, April 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --QC Ware, a leading quantum software and services company, today announced that it has been awarded a $1.5M project in Deeptech Development Funding from Bpifrance. The funding will be used to develop two new quantum software APIs for deep learning and finance which will be integrated into QC Ware's Forge quantum-as-a-service platform. With a goal to create a quantum software ecosystem in Europe, the funds will also be used to hire ten new employees for QC Ware's Paris office within the next three years.

"We are honored to have been awarded our second grant from Bpifrance after the i-Nov award," said Iordanis Kerenidis, Head of Quantum Algorithms for QC Ware. "Quantum computing promises to revolutionize the future of information technology. With this new funding, we plan to continue growing the quantum software ecosystem in Europe from our Paris offices and fuel our mission to help companies in Europe and around the world prepare for the upcoming quantum disruption."

QC Ware Awarded a $1.5 Million Project from Bpifrance to Create a Quantum Computing Software Ecosystem in Europe

QC Ware's growing network of customers - which includes Aisin Group, Airbus, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), BMW Group, Equinor, Goldman Sachs, and Total - collaborate with QC Ware on the design of practical algorithms that deliver performance on near-term quantum computing hardware. By potentially halving the industry timeline for quantum advantage, QC Ware has boosted enterprise and U.S. federal sector adoption of its algorithms for quantum machine learning, quantum Monte Carlo simulations, and quantum optimization. The company is experiencing brisk growth in collaborations with customers and hardware partners in fields that are ripe for quantum disruption, including chemistry simulations, materials discovery, drug design, and beyond.

Designed for data scientists and quantum engineers,Forge delivers a competitively advantageous path to quantum readiness. Forge distinguishes itself from other quantum computing cloud services by providing data scientists with access to pioneering and fine-tuned turnkey quantum algorithms for practical industry problems. Furthermore, quantum engineers can use Forge to gain access to the fundamental components of QC Ware's unique algorithmic IP and reuse these as building blocks for more complex approaches.

About QC WareQC Wareis a quantum software and services company focused on ensuring enterprises are prepared for the emerging quantum computing disruption. QC Ware specializes in the development of applications for near-term quantum computing hardware with a team composed of some of the industry's foremost experts in quantum computing. Its growing network of customers includes AFRL, Aisin Group, Airbus, BMW Group, Covestro, Equinor, Goldman Sachs, and Total. QC Ware Forge, the company's flagship quantum computing cloud service, is built for data scientists with no quantum computing background. It provides unique, performant, turnkey quantum computing algorithms. QC Ware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and supports its European customers through its subsidiary in Paris. QC Ware also organizesQ2B, the largest annual gathering of the international quantum computing community.

Press Contact:Tim SmithElement Public Relations[emailprotected]415-350-3019

SOURCE QC Ware Corp.

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QC Ware Awarded a $1.5 Million Project in Deeptech Development Funding from Bpifrance to Create a Quantum Computing Software Ecosystem in Europe - PR...

The U.S. and Sweden Agree to Cooperate on Quantum Technology

The U.S. and Sweden has also signed a signed a Joint Statement on Cooperation in Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST). Just a few days earlier, the U.S. had signed a similar agreement with Finland. The Joint Statement advances the shared agendas of both countries to engage in good-faith cooperation in QIST for building a global market and supply chain, and to create respectful and inclusive scientific research communities. In 2018, Sweden established the Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology with several universities and industrial partners and is investing 1 billion Swedish Krona ($105M USD) to support advanced research in quantum computing, simulation, communication, and sensing. A news release announcing this signing can be accessed on the U.S. governments Quantum.gov website here.

April 12, 2022

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The U.S. and Sweden Agree to Cooperate on Quantum Technology - Quantum Computing Report