For governments and corporations in the business of transmitting sensitive data such as banking records or personal information over fibre optic cables, a new system demonstrated by University of Toronto researchers offers the protective equivalent of a fire-breathing dragon.
In quantum cryptography, laser light particles (photons) carry complex encryption keys through fibre optic cables, dramatically increasing the security of transmitted data. Conventional encryption is based on the assumed complexity of mathematical problems that traditional computers can solve. But quantum cryptography is based on fundamental laws of physics — specifically, Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, which tells us that merely observing a quantum object alters it.
The technique varies the intensity of photons and introduces photonic “decoys,” which were transmitted over a 15-kilometre telecommunication fibre. After the signals are sent, a second broadcast tells the receiving computer which photons carried the signal and which were decoys. If a hacker tries to “eavesdrop” on the data stream to figure out the encryption key, the mere act of eavesdropping changes the decoys — a clear sign to the receiving computer that the data has been tampered with.
Bravo!
Never understood the emphasis of encrypting the data over the internet.
My premise is that EVERY security problem I’ve heard about DID NOT involve the “tapping” the signal between the source LAN and the destination LAN (Meaning somewhere in the “cloud”). (please, no comments on government net-tapping needed, I’m talking about non-gov’t criminal activity).
Invariably, something on the source net/workstation was compromised (keyloggers, etc.) or destination net (hacking into the database, losing backup tapes, etc).
Yes, it is possible that someone is at your ISP tracking your packets, but I if it is going on, I doubt that they really care whether your SSL encryption is 56 or 128 bits. And, as said, I’ve not heard about any security breaches that are traced to the ISP level. Though, based upon how easy and lucrative this would be, I’m surprised it hasn’t come up before.
My main point is that invariably the security breach happens at the endpoints of net connection, not in the middle, so stuff like the quantum- crypto checker is nice, but coming up with things like easy – foolproof biometrics is MUCH more important.
Recent news (on quantum eavesdroping by the likes of NSA) have aready put the lie to this…
Too bad. Maybe next time.
And, by that I mean /technical/ news, not /political/ drivel about things which “even Geo. Washington” did.
Or, maybe I read the wrong newsletters?
Oops!! Never mind. That paper was just re-classified. Sorry.
On a completely different note, do you know how old that Dragon .GIf is that you are using? I havent seen that picture in over 15 years!