Finally there is some good news for cryptography. Even though it was discovered that the NSA could overcome the most common web encryption standards, a Toshiba research lab has announced a crucial breakthrough in quantum cryptography, potentially making way for a new generation of private communications networks.
Quantum cryptography works by using propertes of light that create unbreakable encryption. The current system comes with serious limitations as it only works over short distances and can only connect two computers at a time.
The researchers published their findings in Nature and explain how they have found a solution that can connect as many as 64 computers in a setup they call “quantum access network”. It is achieved through an improved photon detector that is able to handle 1 billion photons per second so it can manage photon streams from more than one PC at once. It is hoped this breakthrough will make way for more sophisticated quantum-powered networks in the future.
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