Quantum cryptography networks unlock security issues
A team of researchers from Northwestern University in the US and BBN Technologies have demonstrated the world's first working quantum cryptography network. Northwestern University's Dr Gregory Kanter, who coordinated the demonstration, talks to Liz Tay about the basics of quantum cryptography and its potential for use in security systems of the future.
What is quantum cryptography?
A broad definition would be any system that utilizes effects arising from quantum physics to aid in creating cryptographic systems. Quantum key distribution, quantum data encryption, and quantum bit commitment are some examples. Key distribution generates shared secret keys usually for use in data encryption, which protects data from unauthorized observation.
You can view key distribution as the combination to a safe and data encryption as the safe itself. If I want to send a package over an insecure distribution system without allowing it to be tampered with, I could put the package in a safe, send the safe to the desired party, and have them open the safe with the combination.
