Quantum computing is based on quantum mechanics that command how nature works at the smallest scale, per an article in Forbes. Experts say that quantum technology is set to reinforce cybersecurity, improve health services, secure financial transactions, and bring superfast computing capability to the system that was only present in huge supercomputers.
Quantum computing is not here yet, but now is the perfect time for businesses to consider how it may affect them, either negatively or positively, in the coming years.
Quantum Technology Explained
As Forbes reported, the smallest classical computing element is called a bit, which can be 0 or 1. In quantum mechanics, a quantum bit (qubit) can also be 0 or 1 in a superposition.
Calculating two classical bits, such as 00,01,10, and 11, requires four calculations, and a quantum computer can perform the calculations on all four states simultaneously. More so, it can scale exponentially up to 1,000 qubits, which could be more powerful than a supercomputer.
However, quantum computing does not mean speeding up conventional computing. Rather, the technology will provide an exponential advantage for specific problems in factoring very large numbers and has profound implications for cybersecurity.
Another concept in quantum technology is entanglement, wherein qubits become correlated in a way described by a single quantum scale. Two or more particles are perfectly identical even when physically separated, taking away their individuality as none of them can be singularly described without referencing others.
READ ALSO : Charging Electric Cars Could Become As Fast As 3 Minutes With Quantum Battery Technology, Study Claims
How Quantum Computing Could Threaten Cybersecurity
According to TechTarget, the full extent of how quantum computing could affect cybersecurity is unknown. But two areas can threaten cybersecurity.
Experts worry that it could break current RSA cryptography. Quantum computing could utilize specific algorithms to shrink the time needed to crack it. The risk increase over time as quantum gets more mature and relevant.
Furthermore, hackers could use it to masquerade attacks as it could have different behaviors and signatures that slip past current detection software. Experts say that the first attack will hardly be recognizable, but similar attacks will be quickly detected and stopped.
Ways Quantum Technology Can Improve Computers and Its Limitations
Despite its possible disadvantages, quantum technology addresses issues that are too complicated for the conventional computer. Per Hindustan Times, bits can be in states of 0 or 1, making it on or off. But the superposition of qubits has the flexibility to exist in both zeros and ones simultaneously in any position, giving them the capacity to carry out several calculations simultaneously.
Moreover, the entanglement characteristic immediately alters the state of an entangled qubit and affects its paired counterpart, which increases the processing efficiency of quantum computers.
However, there are still limitations. Many working models of quantum computers are still far from exploring the huge potential of quantum technology. IBM now offers online access to quantum computers, while Apple recently demonstrated the use of quantum computers to solve a problem that typically takes a long time with a traditional computer.
RELATED ARTICLE: Novel Electronic Component Made of Germanium Bonded With Aluminum Could Be the Key to Quantum Technology
Check out more news and information on Quantum Technology in Science Times.
