Meta Engineers Warn Of Impending Quantum Apocalypse

According to Cointelegraph, Meta engineers have issued a warning about the imminent threat of quantum decryption, often referred to as the 'Quantum Apocalypse.' This technological milestone, where quantum computers become capable of breaking standard encryption, poses a significant risk to various sectors, including banking, military systems, telecommunications, and cryptocurrency exchanges. The concept of the Quantum Apocalypse, also known as 'Q-Day,' brings both good and bad news. On the positive side, the world is largely prepared for the threat. The United States Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently standardized its first set of quantum-resistant cryptography algorithms. Two of these algorithms were developed by IBM in collaboration with other research labs, while the third was created by an engineer who has since joined IBM's quantum team. A fourth algorithm is expected to be standardized by late 2024. Major institutions have already started implementing quantum-safe encryption protocols with the help of government agencies and technology organizations. However, the new quantum-safe encryption will not protect data that has already been stolen. Once organizations adopt new encryption standards, data on protected systems should be safe from future quantum computer attacks. But this does not retroactively secure data that has already been intercepted and stored elsewhere. The quantum computing industry is still in its early stages, and no current system can feasibly crack standard encryption within a reasonable timeframe. Nevertheless, bad actors can still steal encrypted data and wait for a sufficiently powerful quantum computer to decrypt it in the future. Meta has addressed this threat in a blog post and a recent episode of the Meta Tech podcast, discussing measures to protect future data against 'Store Now, Decrypt Later' (SNDL) attacks. However, there is no indication that Meta has a plan for data stolen before the implementation of its new quantum-safe protocols. This suggests that while Meta's engineers are correct in warning about the Quantum Apocalypse, there may be little that can be done to protect previously stolen data. Even if all institutions become quantum-proof by 2024, any data existing before this point could still be exposed when Q-Day arrives and the decryption phase of SNDL attacks begins.