(GCN.com) The next watershed battles in cybersecurity will take place in quantum communications. A natural front for quantum computing is in communications, where agencies already have plenty of reasons to take encryption and communications security to the next level to thwart an increasingly sophisticated array of attacks.
Especially with 5G looming, quantum security measures could be the key to protecting this country’s networks. Quantum communications still has some hurdles to clear, but if technology’s recent past is any guide, those obstacles will fall sooner rather than later. If agencies are to keep up with — or, even better, get ahead of — the curve, it could be time to start thinking seriously about creating a quantum communications infrastructure and nationwide QKD network.
5G would present a prime opportunity for cyber espionage and lends urgency to the cause of securing vital communications against snooping. That’s where quantum communications comes in. In stark contrast to current public-key cryptography protocols for secure data transmission that are rooted in inherently breakable mathematical algorithms, quantum keys rely on the fundamental properties of quantum mechanics to physically transfer a shared secret between two entities.