Topic awaiting preservation: Quantum Encrytion

Wow.

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Courtesy of Ars Technica

Traditional network encryption schemes rely on mostly static secret-key methodologies for the encryption/decryption process. Brute force and algorithmic attempts to crack keys are possible, even if time consuming, on today's supercomputers and distributed networks, leading to a cat-and-mouse game of ever-increasing key sizes and ever- increasing computational crackin' power. Quantum encryption is promising to make cracking keys "impossible" though a complex and mutative strategy:

Quantum key distribution (QKD) uses an uncrackable key that's sent with single-photon receivers/transmitters. Kumar pointed out that this technique is limited at present to speeds of about 1 kbit/s and a distance of about 70 kilometers. At 1 kbit/s, 256-bit encryption keys can be updated four times a second, which greatly complicates the code-cracking task. But a cracker has unlimited time to work on the scrambled codes, Kumar said.

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle dictates that an eavesdropper cannot properly observe these quantum states without changing them, thereby nullifying the encryption and alerting the system to the eavesdropper's presence. Such an implementation of QKD is slated for use within 6 months in certain commercial applications. But some researchers are already saying that QKD could be even more secure. Two scientists at Northwestern University are claiming to have extended this approach by encrypting not only the encryption key, but the data as well, and at breakneck speeds compared to previous developments. It had been thought that the taking a standard encryption key, and transmitting it in a quantum encrypted state along side traditionally encrypted data would be enough to foil crackers.

Northwestern's technology applies a quantum polarization angle to each transmitted bit. If eavesdroppers try to decode the message they must transgress Heisenberg's uncertainly principle ? that is, their observation of the data introduces so much quantum noise as to render the result indecipherable, according to Kumar and Yuen. However, the intended receiver can use the secret key to remove enough of the noise to decode the encrypted data.

Could this be the beginning of uncrackable data transmission over otherwise insecure lines? If these researchers' claims are true, we are certainly embarking on a new era of cryptography. Transmission speeds of 2.5 Gbit/s are beyond what many expected to be available in the next few years.

so they're not saying it's uncrackable, but that it is easier to detect when someone is trying to crack it.

Unless of course the cracker gets it right the first time.

Well I'm certainly skeptical.

quote:

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Transmission speeds of 2.5 Gbit/s are beyond what many expected to be available in the next few years.

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... uh.... what?
Okay, now I'm confused... don't know where that statement is derived from or what the hell they are talking about.

Connection speeds, like 56 kilobytes per second, then MB's (100 Kb's) then GB's (100 Mb's). At least I think...

Hmm, it seems that, cool as this is, it holds severe limitations in practice. *nothing* can touch the encrypted key between sender and reciever, or else the server would think it had been changed. That includes proxy servers, ISPs, etc.

I'd like to know what the source of this information is.

my meaning was that the statement was out of context, insider.

Good question, Slime. I got the snippet from Dr. Bob. He said, "Courtesy of Ars Technica."
So I tried Ars Technica (.com). So far I haven't been able to find it at that site.

Also decided to try Google: quantum encryption. Definitely some *very* interesting reading, but I haven't found the above article just yet. (Check this out: Wireless quantum encryption.)

I just might have to ask the good doctor as to the exact URL, but don't hold your breath.




[This message has been edited by warjournal (edited 11-09-2002).]

bah
http://arstechnica.com/archive/news/1036784745.html

I've recently come up with a code. To tell the truth, even I don't know how it works. It's that hard.

I'll have to do up some figures and post them in later.

S^abaal ud T'a johtizuc^ ult'a Fedaro.