Researchers at Shanghai University recently claimed a significant quantum computing breakthrough by cracking RSA encryption algorithms used in sectors like banking, military, and cryptocurrency. However, popular tech YouTuber Mental Outlaw raised doubts about the discovery’s impact, emphasizing several limitations that undermine its threat to current encryption standards.
Quantum Computer in China Breaks Only a 22-bit Key
According to the Chinese researchers, their quantum computer factorized the integer 2,269,753, marking a record-breaking achievement in quantum computing. However, Mental Outlaw noted that this only involved breaking a 22-bit key—a far smaller task compared to what classical computers have already achieved. For instance, classical systems have cracked 892-bit keys, dwarfing the Chinese breakthrough.
While early RSA encryption standards used 512-bit keys, modern encryption methods employ 2048 to 4096-bit keys, making them highly secure against current quantum computing capabilities. Mental Outlaw explained that quantum computers, at their present stage of development, lack the computational power to break these more advanced encryption protocols.
Quantum Computing’s Current Limitations
The YouTuber also pointed out that quantum computing faces several practical challenges. These systems must operate at near-absolute zero temperatures, requiring complex and expensive cooling mechanisms. Moreover, a significant portion of quantum computing power is devoted to error correction, meaning only a fraction of its processing power is available for solving encryption problems.
Additionally, quantum computers cannot be easily scaled by simply combining more quantum processors, further limiting their potential to break modern encryption algorithms.
Quantum Computing’s Future Threat to Encryption
Despite the current limitations, Mental Outlaw warned that as quantum technology advances, it could eventually threaten modern encryption. In anticipation of such risks, major tech companies are already working on quantum-resistant encryption.
For example, in 2023, HSBC began testing quantum-resistant banking infrastructure, while IBM and Microsoft formed a coalition to develop post-quantum encryption technologies. In 2024, Apple made iMessage quantum-resistant, reflecting the industry’s growing focus on safeguarding digital communications from future quantum threats.
Vitalik Buterin’s Solution to Quantum Threats
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a solution to mitigate the potential risks posed by quantum computing. He suggested that blockchain networks could implement a hard fork, requiring users to update their wallet software, which would provide enhanced protection. Buterin emphasized that this infrastructure should be developed in advance to ensure the safety of users’ funds.
In a 2017 article by researchers Divesh Aggarwal and Gavin Brennen, it was estimated that Bitcoin’s elliptic curve signature scheme could be broken by quantum computers as early as 2027, under the most optimistic projections. However, breaking cryptocurrency security would likely require thousands or millions of qubits, and current quantum machines are still operating with around 1000 qubits.
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