Definition: The study of quantum computing is focused on the development of computer-based technologies based on the principles of quantum theory. Quantum theory explains the nature and behavior of energy and matter at the quantum (atomic and subatomic) level. This technology harnesses quantum physics to perform calculations faster than ever.
Quantum Computing explained
An ordinary computer uses bits. Bits are similar to small switches that are either in the off position (represented by a 0) or in the on position (represented by a 1). Every website, app, and photograph taken is made up of millions of bits which are made up of a combination of ones and zeros. Instead of bits, quantum computers use quantum bits, qubits for short. Qubits are made using physical systems, such as the spin of an electron or the orientation of a photon.
Instead of being either on or off, like bits, qubits can also be in a quantum ‘superposition’ meaning that they are on and off at the same time, or between the two. In other words, qubits can also be inextricably linked together using a phenomenon called quantum entanglement which creates a correlation between two qubits. The result is that, where there are a large number of possible combinations, quantum computers can consider them simultaneously. This is what makes quantum computing so formidable - It is a device so powerful that it could do in four minutes what it would take a traditional supercomputer 10,000 years to accomplish.
The current and potential uses and benefits of quantum computers could change the way we understand the world around us. Predictive analytics is where quantum computing would have a significant impact. A quantum computer would be able to predict weather patterns and perform traffic modeling because it could perform analyses and predictions at an enormous speed. These tasks involve millions or billions of variables that are continually changing.
Adversaries will have the capacity to use quantum computing to break the asymmetric encryption on virtually all existing digital databases. This is why it is highly significant that on July 5, 2022, the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) under the US Department of Commerce announced that it had selected four quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms that can be used to protect encrypted databases from a quantum attack.
Utimaco is able to provide quantum-resistant solutions that enable businesses to defend their systems against assaults based on quantum computers thanks to significant time and talent investments in post-quantum cryptography.
