Dr. Vikram Sharma, Founder and CEO of Quintessence labs based in Australia, participate in Risk Roundup to discuss the “Implications of Quantum Cybersecurity.”
The Implications of Quantum Cybersecurity
Over the years, encryption has become a constant in our daily life. While it has become an indispensable part of modern life, security in cyberspace is still a complex challenge. If we look at our everyday life, each phone call, SMS, email, chats, video calls, software updates, e-commerce, and more, we put our faith in math for security–but the systems based on math can be hacked. They are being hacked. So, although mathematical methods do encryption, they will likely not give us the protection we need. For security in cyberspace and because of cyberspace in aquaspace, geospace, and space, we need something more substantial to replace these mathematical methods.
With growing computing power and quantum computing, it seems quantum cryptography, quantum encryption, and quantum cybersecurity give us a likely alternative. We are already witnessing the quantum properties of matter and light being applied to build quantum satellites to quantum internet and quantum cybersecurity. As actual devices using quantum properties transmit information over considerable distances, it is essential to evaluate “quantum encryption” for cyberspace security.
In search of greater security from codebreakers, it seems a new generation of code makers are turning from math to physics by exploiting quantum mechanics laws to send provably unhackable messages. Dr. Vikram Sharma, a quantum computing visionary CEO of Quintessence labs, shared his organization’s progress towards building “quantum-enhanced cybersecurity.” He explained what is revolutionary about Quintessence lab’s technology and approach and how their systems work in theory and practice.
The impact of the proposed technology seems promising. Besides making hacking difficult, it looks like “quantum cybersecurity” offers many other advantages and applications from healthcare to defense. While the discussion focused on quantum cybersecurity’s current state, its potential role in protecting our collective future was also evaluated. While physics laws say quantum cryptography is unhackable, we must assess whether we need better control of quantum cryptography over quantum cybersecurity systems.
Suppose we want the entire cyberspace and all data and communications across nations secured; it is time to analyze what is required in terms of hardware, software, and anything else needed to move forward with quantum cybersecurity.
As the quantum property of light excites security professionals, it is vital to visualize where the applications will emerge. Chinese scientists have already built the first quantum satellite network. As we work towards building on the feasibility of quantum communications from space, we must begin a discussion on emerging security challenges.
Since the future of code makers and code breakers is entangled, and it may be quantum on both sides, the time is now to understand the “Implications of Quantum Cybersecurity” and its implications for humanity’s future.
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About the Guest
Vikram Sharma is the founding director and CEO of Quintessence Labs Inc. After realizing the potential of quantum cryptography in the early 2000s in California, Dr. Sharma sought to commercialize the technology and returned to the Australian National University to work with the Quantum Optics Group in the Department of Physics. Quintessence Labs emerged from the world-leading research conducted by the group.
Vikram brings with him 20 years’ experience in building and managing technology companies. Before Quintessence Labs, he founded three successful start-up ventures in the information technology services and hardware spaces. He is a Sloan Fellow from Stanford University, California, and holds an MSc in computer science and a Ph.D. in quantum physics from the ANU.
About the Host of Risk Roundup
Jayshree Pandya (née Bhatt), Ph.D., a leading expert at the intersection of science, technology, and security, is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Risk Group LLC, host of influential Risk Roundup Podcast/Vodcast, an award-winning Scientist, and a Futurist passionate about protecting the Future of Humanity.
This passion and dedication to protecting the collective future has taken Dr. Pandya on a journey to understand the language of the universe. Her quest for a security algorithm drives her involvement in a wide range of research to understand the core mechanisms by which the cosmos operates and where the existential risks emerge for the human species. Her research across many domains has contributed to more than 100 publications and is pursued to provide security solutions for humanity’s future. She is the author of the books, Geopolitics of Cybersecurity and The Global Age. Her upcoming books are on Cyberwarfare, Pandemics, and Artificial Intelligence.
About Risk Roundup
Through the Risk Roundup initiative, Risk Group is on a mission to talk with a billion people: innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs, futurists, technologists, policymakers, to decision-makers. The reason behind this effort is to research, review, rate, and report strategic security risks facing humanity. This collective intelligence effort is essential to understand where we need to focus on our collective security–and what destructive forces we need to be mindful about.
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About Risk Group
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