As quantum computing rapidly advances, cybersecurity experts are racing to address a critical vulnerability: the potential for practical quantum computers to break classical encryption within the next decade. Researchers at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) are tackling this issue head-on, led by Research Scientist Phuong Cao and University of Illinois undergraduate student Jakub Sowa. Their work focuses on developing post-quantum cryptography (PQC) protocols to safeguard sensitive data and scientific research. Cao, principal investigator of a $200,000 National Science Foundation grant, is working with co-principal investigators Anita Nikolich, Ravishankar Iyer, and Santiago Núñez-Corrales to design a novel PQC network instrument and measure its adoption rate across various network protocols. The project aims to set a national example for migrating cyberinfrastructure to be quantum-resistant, ensuring the security of scientific computing. Key players involved include Google Chrome, OpenSSH, and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which recently finalized its principal set of encryption algorithms designed to withstand quantum computer attacks.
↧