Chinese quantum computer cracked multiple SPN algorithms: 'future of encryption is at stake' – TweakTown

We all thought banking and military security was impenetrable? That was, until Chinese researchers used a D-Wave quantum computer to execute what they claim as the first successful quantum attack on widely used encyption algorithms which pose a “real and substantial threat” to the banking and military sectors.
In a new report by the South China Morning Post picked up by The Quantum Insider, which I saw posted on X which you can see embedded above, the Chinese quantum computer has cracked multiple SPN algorithms, which is “way bigger than cracking the ENIGMA code, the future of encryption is at stake” we’re warned.
We have thought that the digital world is secure, especially in a during and post-COVID world where in many countries across the world they pushed hard into the all-digital, all-cloud life. Well, now we have Chinese scientists led by “brainiac” Wang Chao from Shanghai University has “just pulled off a stunt that should have the NSA, the White House, and every crypto bro out there sweating bullets” says Huo on X.
Using a quantum computer from Canada-based D-Wave Systems, these Chinese tech wizards cracked open encryption methods that our banks and military “thought were ironclad“. These algorithms include Present, Gift-64, and Rectangle, something Huo says that have “names that sound like they belong in a kid’s toy box but are actually the backbone of our digital security“, which is a great analogy… scary, but well put.
Huo says there is a kicker: “this isn’t just a minor glitch in the matrix. These guys are on the verge of breaking AES-256, the so-called “military-grade” encryption. If that doesn’t make you question the safety of your online banking, nothing will. So, while D-Wave Systems might be busy helping Lockheed Martin with fighter jets and Google with image recognition, the real action is happening in the shadows of quantum cryptography“.
It’s a huge deal, and something I think we’ll see covered massively in the coming days and months… especially as we lead into the 2024 US presidential elections on November 5, and then the inauguration on January 20, 2025. Huo adds that “it’s a brave new world, and our old-school encryption methods are about to get a rude awakening. Buckle up, because the future of cybersecurity just got a whole lot more uncertain“.
On the flip side: this is China… how much do we truly believe? Another side of the coin: do we not think that the US and other countries have cracked this already with the amount of computing power, intelligence, and AI that has been used behind the scenes for years?
If consumers are using AI now, it means AI has probably been used for decades behind the scenes to work out how to crack all forms of encryption. Still, a scary step in the wrong direction, especially right now with China conducting military drills around Taiwan, and Chinese military saying they would drop nuclear bombs on Japan continuously if they interfered with its plans for Taiwan.
The Quantum Insider provided an excellent insider brief:
Anthony Garreffa
Anthony joined the TweakTown team in 2010 and has since reviewed 100s of graphics cards. Anthony is a long time PC enthusiast with a passion of hate for games built around consoles. FPS gaming since the pre-Quake days, where you were insulted if you used a mouse to aim, he has been addicted to gaming and hardware ever since. Working in IT retail for 10 years gave him great experience with custom-built PCs. His addiction to GPU tech is unwavering and has recently taken a keen interest in artificial intelligence (AI) hardware.
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