Quantum computers use quantum mechanics and qubits that can represent superpositions of 0s and 1s to potentially solve certain problems like prime factorization much faster than classical computers. While quantum computers exist in research labs today, they are still noisy and limited. This could allow them to break many current encryption methods. Researchers are working on "post-quantum crypto" algorithms like lattice-based cryptography that could be resistant even to quantum computers. Major tech companies are also starting to experiment with integrating post-quantum crypto into products and standards ahead of fully functional quantum computers.

1. Quantum Computers &
Where to Hide from Them
Nick Doiron
Silicon Valley Bank
@mapmeld on GitHub & Twitter

3. Key questions:
Why are quantum
computers special?
Are they even real?
How do we program them?
How do quantum
computers affect our
privacy?

4. Recap: what’s in a computer

5. Moore’s
Law
Better
transistors,
better
computers!

6. End of
the line
Labs at limits of
silicon (June 2017)
+ carbon
nanotubes
(October 2016)

7. What are qubits?
Digital bits: 0 or 1
Qubits entanglement
and superposition: a
probability wave until
measured/pinned

8. What are qubits?

9. What are qubits?

10. Qubit freezer
rigs

11. Classical Computer Gates

12. Quantum Gates
Make particles interact through gates while in superposition

13. Do Quantum Computers exist?

14. QVMs and Rigetti Computing
H 1
MEASURE 1 [1]
JUMP-WHEN @THEN3 [1]
JUMP @END4
LABEL @THEN3
X 0
LABEL @END4
MEASURE 0 [0]

15. npm install
jsquil

16. Old problems, new physics
Quantum gates are noisy
Classical error-correction required measuring a
qubit to check

17. 1994: Quantum will break codes
Shor’s Algorithm
Prime Factorization
Bitcoin changes
(not P =? NP)

18. Quantum Gates (recap)
This is the Quantum Fourier Transform

19. The NSA?
2013
2016

21. Quantum Crypto

22. Make a new thing to fight back

23. Post Quantum Crypto

24. There are other PQC options...
- 2x longer AES
- 1000-x longer RSA
- Multivar quadratic equations
- Hashes
- McEliece / Goppa codes

25. … but lattices
It’s efficient, looks effective against quantum
Lattices -> ? -> Ring Learning with Errors
For symmetric and asymmetric encryption

26. Let’s talk about SSL/TLS
Server and client agree on a cipher that both
understand
AES-256 toughest
Current key exchange step is unsafe too

28. It’s called: A New Hope
New experiment by Chrome team
BoringSSL (AES +
Ring-Learning-With-Errors)

29. GPG -> CodeCrypt
by Mirek Kratochvil
McEliece Crypto System for Encryption, hash for Signing
As a result - needs two sets of public/private keys
Modeled after GPG commands, but has different output

30. Enigmail mixed reviews
Robert J. Hanson, Enigmail+gpg mod / support

32. Open questions
When will quantum computers exist?
Do brains use quantum computation?
Will new crypto survive testing?

33. Nov 2016: Shor strikes back

34. Community events
Rigetti Computing started a Bay Area Meetup recently
PQCrypto.org has a “summer school” and conference this
week in Netherlands
Quantum Error Correction Conf - Maryland in September
PQCrypto 2018 will be in April in Fort Lauderdale

35. Thanks!!! Read on:
- PQCrypto.org
- “Post-Quantum Cryptography” on Amazon
- Scott Aaronson’s blog and
“Quantum Computing since Democritus”