Quantum cryptography could shed test for hackers
Added protection of proposed method makes eavesdropping nearly impossible
By Andrew Grant
A proposed quantum encryption technique would ensure secure communication while removing the painstaking step of checking for potential eavesdroppers. The efficient approach could eventually form the basis of a secure quantum network for exchanging sensitive information.
Computer-generated encryption protects data such as credit card numbers, passwords and confidential communication from would-be snoopers. However, this encryption is breakable, and there’s no smoking-gun signal that someone has cracked the code. A hacker can steal information for a long time before anyone finds out.