Quantum Computing Technology

The ordinary computers run on chips, which use bits for computations. These bits accept either of the two values- zero or one. Zero represents the “off” position and one represents the “on” position. A combination of several such bits are the fundamental units of every website, application or photograph we use or have access to. 

Bits are convenient to use, where they do not disclose our universe’s nature beyond just the on and off conditions. However, even the most powerful supercomputers today cannot process the uncertainty, resulting in the rise of computer void.

The factor of uncertainty has been highlighted over the last century when scientists discovered that physical laws do not apply at the subatomic level and are different from the ones we observe daily. This led to the development of “quantum mechanics”, which helped to decode the science of subatomic elements. 

Now the phenomenon of uncertainty can be seen, technologists need a tool to undertake calculations while managing the uncertainty. This way, “quantum computing” was born. Quantum Computing is based on physical laws that administer the subatomic world, where elementary particles can be in different states and places. Hence, Quantum Computing technology uses, manipulates and controls these quantum theory laws to execute complex tasks and computations with some uncertainty. 

Quantum Computing Technology is relatively a new technology, which is helping companies such as IBM, Google, D-Wave, Microsoft and others to make significant progress in this domain.

What is Quantum Computing Technology?

Quantum Computing Technology is a term which defines a computational technology that makes use of the principles of quantum mechanics such as enlargement, superposition and interference to process, store and manipulate huge amounts of data and perform complex calculations for conventional computing systems and supercomputers to fathom. 

It is a rapidly developing technology with the potential to revolutionize several industries. Making use of the power of quantum mechanics, quantum computers can solve problems that are almost impossible with classical computing. Quantum Computing helps us to find solutions for some of the most complicated and pressing problems of humanity such as climate change and cancer.

What is Quantum Mechanics?

Quantum Mechanics is a subset of quantum physics that explains how matter and energy interact on the subatomic level. It explains the behavior of particles and their interactions with each other such as quantum entanglement. 

According to quantum mechanics, particles exist in a range of potential states known as quantum states. When an observer measures the value of a particle’s property, these can become “real”. Along with this, particle duality, quantum mechanics also suggests that particles are inherently uncertain, i.e., their behavior is determined by probability rather than certainty.

How does Quantum Computing work?

Computers use binary systems to encode data. This binary framework runs on processors that use transistors for computations. The transistors act as switches in the computer’s circuitry and create 0s and 1s to process computing logic. However, when it comes to quantum computers, these 0s and 1s are replaced by quantum bits, known as qubits, which encode quantum information and process different quantum states.

Some important components

1. Qubits- Quantum computers work on qubits. These represent quantum-mechanical systems that consider several quantum values and scale exponentially beyond the conventional zeros and ones. For example, a two-qubit system can perform four concurrent computations, whereas a three-qubit does eight and a four-qubit system does sixteen.
2. Superposition- It implies that the quantum system can be present in several different states at the same time. For example, if we consider a coin toss scenario, where you flip the coin to end up as heads or tails. However, if we consider the state of the coin when it is suspended in the air, it holds both heads and tails simultaneously. Similarly, quantum particles such as electrons are in a state of quantum superposition, unless they are measured. Hence, the factor of uncertainty is taken care of in quantum computers.
3. Entanglement- Entanglement refers to the entangling of two or more qubits by developing a correlation between them. When qubits are entangled, any change in one of the qubits invariably affects the others without exception. For example, you introduce an additional qubit to a 60-qubit computer. Here, the quantum computer can evaluate 260 states concurrently. Adding a qubit along with the entanglement property assists the computer to perform computations faster than usual. Thus, quantum computing algorithms use quantum entanglement to process data in a faster manner.
4. Interference- It is a method of controlling the quantum states in a quantum machine by reinforcing or diminishing the wave functions of quantum particles. Hence, quantum states that lead to a correct output can be boosted, while one can subsequently cancel the states resulting in wrong output.
5. Coherence- It is found that quantum machines do not perform well in noisy environments. They get affected by external noise as the ‘superposition’ state maintained by qubits is disrupted, leading to errors in computation. Along with this, quantum states retain information only for a short period of time. Thus, knowing the fact that the data can go out of coherence in no time, it is important to perform the computational tasks when the information is still available. To cope up with such problems, quantum computers are maintained at low temperatures (close to absolute zero). As heat is susceptible to noise and errors, colder temperatures are preferred to allow qubits’ longer quantum state retention, along with superposition and entanglement.

Key Applications of Quantum Computing in Cybersecurity

Below are some key applications of quantum computing in cybersecurity:

1. Post-Quantum Cryptography- Quantum computers can break widely used encryption algorithms such as RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman. To address this, researchers are developing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms resistant to quantum attacks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is standardizing post-quantum cryptographic algorithms to future-proof encryption.
2. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)- QKD uses  quantum mechanics to create encryption keys that are virtually unhackable. Any attempt to intercept the key disturbs the quantum state, alerting both parties. For example, companies like ID Quantique and Toshiba are deploying QKD systems for secure communication networks.
3. Enhanced Threat Detection- Quantum computing enables faster data analysis and pattern recognition, improving the ability to detect and respond to cyber threats in real time. Quantum-enhanced machine learning algorithms are being explored to detect zero-day vulnerabilities. 
4. Password Cracking and Strengthening- Along with breaking traditional passwords using Grover’s algorithm, quantum computers can also inspire the development of quantum-resistant password systems.
5. Quantum –Assisted Penetration Testing- Quantum computers can simulate complex attack scenarios more effectively, helping organizations identify vulnerabilities in their systems. They are used to test cloud environments and large-scale networks.

Importance of Quantum Computing

The purpose of Quantum Computing is to revolutionize different industry verticals, such as medicine, machine learning, artificial intelligence, cryptography, finance, etc. over the coming years. The advancements in quantum computing are energized mainly by the money pumped in by investors, governments and companies that are trying to gain ultimate quantum supremacy. Quantum Computing carries much importance, as it is moving closer to reality and is preferred the most today.

• The problems faced by earthlings today are more complicated than what advanced tech can address. These concerns have high complexity, and it can take centuries for today’s supercomputers to solve these problems. 
• Quantum computers have already identified that our planet can produce ammonia fertilizer at standard temperature and pressure and reduce the burden of energy usage, thus benefiting the farmers, agricultural companies and allied industries.
• Classical computing suits best in linear problems, where sequential operations are the main focus. Such computing systems are developed on the foundations of linear mathematics, that studies linear equations and transformation properties.
• With the internet of everything, where a phenomenal amount of data is generated daily, modern computers and supercomputers are vulnerable to errors in handling such a massive amount of data. Whereas, quantum computers are best suited for such tasks, as they can process potential volumes of data faster.

Quantum Computing and Cyber security

Quantum Computing has significantly provided levels of protection that could be impossible to achieve with traditional methods of computing. It could enable the development of codes that are impossible to crack, even with the most advanced supercomputers. Quantum Computing paves way to the world of possibilities for cyber security by providing powerful encryption and authentication capabilities. This allowed businesses to protect their data from malicious attackers.

Quantum Computing provides unprecedented authentication capabilities, assisting the companies to verify the identity of users and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. In addition, quantum algorithms can lower the time to identify cyber security threats. It is essential to follow best practices for data security and take advantage of current cyber security products, including the Data Defense software, ensuring the sensitive information to be safe.

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