Schneier says quantum cryptography is “nearly useless”

Deployment of networks protected by quantum cryptography is “nearly useless” for practical uses according to security expert Bruce Schneier.

The world’s first network using quantum cryptography went live last week in Austria but Schneier, in an article for Wired, said the deployment changes little in the security field.

“The basic idea is still unbelievably cool, in theory, and nearly useless in real life,” he said. “Even quantum cryptography doesn't "solve" all of cryptography: The keys are exchanged with photons, but a conventional mathematical algorithm takes over for the actual encryption.”