Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – One day, in a not so distant future, it will possible to sent e-mail messages that can be read only by those who are authorised. Chinese scientists have in fact come up with ways to send data that can make encrypted messages impossible to be intercepted or decoded by a third party.
The new device, called a quantum router, uses photons—one of the various quantum forms—to generate and transport keys to unlock encrypted data, replacing the need to send keys through more conventional but unreliable means such as telephone lines.
“Any attempt to detect or steal the photon keys during their transmission will seriously alter their attributes and corrupt the quantum flow, making the system 100 per cent secure in theory,” said Guo Guangcan, of the National Quantum Communication and Quantum Information Technology Programme. His team succeeded in using it to encrypt data flowing between four computers on a commercial communications system.
All encryption methods in use today are potentially unreliable because they use means such as telephone lines. The quantum router has the potential to make communication systems impregnable. But one of its problems is that it is only effective over a distance of less than 50 km.
What is more, existing communication cryptography is mature and safe enough so that quantum encryption will be hard pressed to find a place in the market, at least until it does not only have a higher level of security but is also effective over a longer distance and faster bandwidth.
Other observers point out that this system would not only protect communication but also prevent censorship, something which existing technologies allow.
All encryption methods in use today are potentially vulnerable because they depend on mathematical complexity, which could be broken by a fast computer powerful enough, Professor Guo said.