China’s Quantum Computer Cracks RSA Encryption, Risks Global Security
▼ Summary
– A Chinese research team used a D-Wave quantum annealing processor to factor a 22-bit RSA integer, demonstrating quantum computing’s potential threat to encryption.
– RSA encryption, traditionally secure due to the difficulty of factoring large numbers, is now being challenged by advances in quantum computing hardware.
– The Shanghai team reframed factorization as an optimization problem, achieving better results than previous attempts while reducing noise in the quantum system.
– Standards bodies like NIST are already preparing for post-quantum cryptography, urging organizations to transition to quantum-resistant algorithms.
– While current quantum systems are limited, experts warn that businesses must audit and update their cryptographic systems now to prevent future security risks.
The security protocols protecting your online banking may appear intact today, but a breakthrough in China signals looming vulnerabilities in global encryption standards. Researchers have demonstrated that quantum computing can now crack small RSA keys, marking a significant step toward threatening widely used cryptographic systems.
A team from Shanghai University successfully factored a 22-bit RSA integer using a D-Wave quantum annealing processor, overcoming previous limitations where similar hardware stalled at 19 bits. While this remains far from breaking modern 2048-bit encryption, the experiment proves quantum machines can tackle problems once considered too complex for non-classical computation.
RSA encryption has long relied on the difficulty of factoring large semiprime numbers, a task that takes classical computers years, even with supercomputing power. The largest RSA key cracked conventionally stands at 829 bits, achieved after weeks of intensive processing. Quantum computing, however, introduces entirely new risks.
The researchers reframed factorization as a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problem, allowing D-Wave’s quantum annealer to navigate energy states and identify prime factors. This approach also threatened Substitution-Permutation Network (SPN) ciphers like Present and Rectangle, marking the first real-world quantum threat to these algorithms.
Though 22-bit keys are insignificant in practical terms, the experiment highlights a critical trend: quantum hardware is improving faster than expected. By optimizing noise reduction in the Ising model, the team achieved higher accuracy, suggesting future scalability. Prabhjyot Kaur of Everest Group warns, “Quantum advancements could soon jeopardize enterprise data security on a massive scale.”
Unlike universal quantum computers running Shor’s algorithm, which theoretically dismantles RSA in polynomial time, D-Wave’s annealers use analog evolution in ultra-cold environments. While not as versatile, these machines already deploy over 5,000 qubits, outpacing error-prone gate-based systems in combinatorial optimization. The Shanghai team’s workaround sidesteps current qubit constraints but faces exponential scaling challenges, limiting immediate threats.
Governments aren’t waiting for disaster. NIST has already rolled out post-quantum cryptography standards (FIPS 203-205) based on lattice problems, with HQC selected for further development. The White House has urged agencies to begin transitioning away from vulnerable algorithms, fearing adversaries may already be stockpiling encrypted data for future decryption.
Businesses lag behind, with many unaware of their cryptographic dependencies. Experts recommend audits to identify RSA and ECC usage, followed by phased adoption of quantum-resistant solutions like Open Quantum Safe. Hybrid key exchanges and crypto-agility, designing systems for seamless algorithm swaps, can ease the transition.
The clock is ticking for industries handling long-term sensitive data, including healthcare, genomics, and government communications. While today’s RSA keys remain secure, each hardware leap narrows the safety margin. D-Wave’s upcoming 7,000-qubit processor promises even greater connectivity, reducing the physical qubits needed per logical variable.
Some critics note the experiment relied heavily on classical pre-processing and repeated runs, but history shows cryptographic weaknesses rarely remain theoretical. DES collapsed just four years after initial cracks emerged.
The takeaway? Quantum threats are no longer speculative, they’re unfolding in labs today. Organizations must treat cryptographic upgrades as urgent infrastructure projects or risk catastrophic breaches in the quantum era.
(Source: Earth.com)
