China Conquers Confidential Comms – U.S. Utterly Undone
Chinese researchers have achieved yet another advance in spy-proof data transmission. For the first time, they managed to communicate securely across a distance of more than 60 miles.
The aptly named Professor Long (pictured) and his team at Tsinghua University published their achievement last week. Quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) is communication using quantum entanglement, which lets you detect eavesdropping.
60 miles might not sound much, but it was a big deal when they broke 10 miles a couple of years ago. In today’s SB Blogwatch, we wonder what the West is up to.
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: Weaving baskets for quantum computing.
No ‘Quantum Leap’ Gags, Please
What’s the craic? Holly Chik reports—“Quantum secure communication breakthrough”:
“Published their findings this month”
Long Gui-Lu … and his team said they have set a new distance record, sending information securely over 100km (62 miles). … It is a significant jump from Long’s 2020 record of 18.5km, two decades after he came up with the system, which can detect and prevent eavesdropping attacks.
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The obsolescence of traditional secure communications … has been on the cards since 1994, when US mathematician Peter Shor found a quantum computer could be used to find the prime factors of enormous numbers. … “If we replace parts of the internet … where more eavesdropping attacks happen—with quantum channels—those parts will have the added ability to sense and prevent eavesdropping,” … Long said.
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Long and his team published their findings this month in Light: Science & Applications, [a] peer-reviewed journal. [But] transmission speeds were slow – at just 0.54 bits per second.
And Steve Dent adds—“The research could lead to hack-proof networks”:
“Entangled particles are linked”
The work could eventually lead to hack-proof communication, as any eavesdropping attempt on a quantum line can be instantly detected. … QSDC uses the principle of entanglement to secure networks.
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Entangled particles are linked, so that if you change the property of one by measuring it, the other will instantly change, too. … In theory, the particles stay linked even if they’re light-years apart, so such systems should work over great distances.
Should we be worried that China is ahead? Here’s Ashish Dangwal—“China Claims ‘World Record’”:
“AUKUS”
China has made strides in quantum technology’s industrial utilization in recent years … such as the world’s first quantum satellite, a 2,000 km quantum communication line between Beijing and Shanghai, and the world’s first optical quantum computing machine prototype. … One of Beijing’s aims for its 14th five-year plan, which ends in 2025, is to establish an intercity quantum demonstration network based on secure relays.
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The Pentagon’s 2021 report to Congress on China states that China “continues its pursuit of leadership in key technologies with significant military potential.” … Meanwhile, other countries are working on this arena: … Quantum computing is included in the AUKUS military technology sharing agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which was unveiled in September.
However, this Anonymous Coward notes the oint in the flyment: [You’re fired—Ed.]
While data exfiltration is (currently) impossible with quantum communications [denial of service] is trivial and a real problem.
It doesn’t sound very practical. nullcodes explains one possible use case:
This could be useful for transmitting an AES key if … asymmetric encryption is broken.
My brain hurts. sjames suggests a low-tech alternative:
There’s a lot of impracticality here. Including using quantum entanglement at all when you could communicate faster using a set of standard resistors over copper.
Both sides start by switching in 5K (for example) resistors so that each side can characterize the resistance of the circuit. Then, each side switches in a resistor corresponding to the first symbol they want to transmit (or a random one if they only expect to receive). Each side measures the resistance of the circuit. Since they know the resistance of the line and they know the value of their resistor, they easily know the value of the other resistor. An eavesdropper can only know the sum of the resistors and would tend to cause disruptions on the circuit that would be detected.
But because that’s low-tech and could be accomplished by children, it’ll never be considered. MUST … SPEND … MILLIONS.
And Adrian might have missed some of the subtleties:
So how do they know the entangled bit has changed, unless they also measure that? In which case, surely the original bit would then change, signaling someone is listening in—when in fact you’re just checking to see if someone is snooping.
And what happens if two people listen in? The first would change the original bit, the second listener would then change the bit back to its original state.
What’s DC doing about it? saloomy eyerolls furiously:
Soon, Senators and Congressmen will ask Apple, Microsoft, and Google to create a way for entangled particles to be subject to government surveillance without the parties realizing.
Meanwhile, 2np5ghrps M. slightly misses the point:
0.54 bits per second? Would be quicker to send a message on horseback.
And Finally:
You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi or [email protected]. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. E&OE. 30.
