Counter-terrorism grant as quantum computers emerge

The promise of quantum computing technologies will be enormous computing power. However, these new technologies will also give rise to the cyber-security threat of successful cryptographic attacks.

In light of this, a University of Wollongong researcher, Professor Willy Susilo, has been awarded $243,000 to support research titled "Post-quantum Cryptography: Protecting Counter-Terrorism Against Future Capabilities of Quantum Computers", under the Research Support for Counter Terrorism program administered by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The grant was awarded to secure key cryptographic expertise for the Australian security community and aims to develop new cryptographic algorithms that will be secure against quantum computer-based attacks.

Professor Susilo is Head of UOW’s School of Computer Science and Software Engineering and is the Co-Director of Centre for Computer and Information Security Research (CCISR).

His areas of expertise are in cryptography, information security, computer security and network security.

“The availability of quantum computers will create a new era in computing, in particular in its impact to cryptography, secure communication and e-commerce,” Professor Susilo said.

He said the outcomes of this project would improve the capabilities of counter-terrorism agencies, since it will enable protection against attackers and potential terrorists that are well equipped with quantum computers.

Quantum computers promise to undertake incredibly quick calculations which would have the capability of cracking every encryption system in use today.

Conventional computers rely on simply on or off states expressed as voltages fed to microchips millions of times per second. Quantum computers apply the principles of quantum mechanics for manipulating single particles such as electrons and photons that can occupy multiple readable states simultaneously.

Last reviewed: 7 July, 2009