DigiCert hosts Quantum Readiness Day for future-proofing firms

Amit Sinha, CEO of DigiCert, inaugurated the first-ever World Quantum Readiness Day on 26 September 2024. 

The event aimed to highlight the pressing challenges quantum computing poses to digital security and cryptography, as well as the necessary steps towards mitigating the risks it presents.

He started his speech by saying, "The purpose of this day is to draw attention to what is becoming a very hot and sometimes contentious topic within digital security." He emphasised that advances in quantum computing present "a truly existential threat" to the cryptographic methods that currently underpin digital trust across industries.

Sinha called for an industry-wide effort to transition towards new quantum-safe cryptographic standards. He acknowledged that while the immediate threat posed by quantum computers might be debated, the need to act is urgent. "No matter where you fall on the spectrum of how immediate the threat may be, the time to start the transition is now," he said.

The event brought together some of the most prominent names in the fields of quantum computing, cryptography, and digital trust. One of the highlights was a conversation with Professor Peter Shor, a pioneer in quantum computing and the inventor of the algorithm that bears his name, which can break current cryptographic standards on a sufficiently large and stable quantum computer. Sinha noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Shor's algorithm, which has since become a cornerstone of quantum cryptography research​.

In an insightful discussion, Shor was asked about the fundamental difference between traditional and quantum computers. He explained that while traditional computers work by moving from one state to another following a predefined set of rules, quantum computers operate on the principles of quantum mechanics, allowing them to exist in multiple states simultaneously. "The reason this is useful is that you can make these superpositions of states interfere with each other," Shor said, explaining how this interference allows quantum computers to perform computations impossible for classical computers.

Shor further discussed how quantum computers, with their exponentially larger number of possible states compared to classical computers, can tackle certain problems far more efficiently. He used the example of breaking cryptographic systems, particularly the widely used RSA encryption. "If someone was able to build a large-scale quantum computer, they could break this cryptosystem," Shor noted, emphasising that quantum computers could revolutionise cryptography.

However, despite the theoretical potential of quantum computing, Shor acknowledged the slow progress in developing cryptographically relevant quantum computers. He explained that building such computers is an extremely complex challenge, requiring advancements in the construction of quantum gates and qubits. "In 1994...we could do one-tenth of a quantum gate. Now, to do that back to relevant numbers, you do need to do millions of quantum gates and you need to have thousands of qubits," he said, illustrating the scale of the challenge.

Addressing the implications of quantum computers on digital trust, Shor warned that if a sufficiently powerful quantum computer were developed today, it would have catastrophic consequences for security. "Even if a quantum computer was available today, your purchases over the internet would be fine...but there are some very important secrets protected by RSA," he added​.

A member of the audience asked Shor to predict when quantum computers might realistically become capable of cracking RSA encryption. He responded cautiously, saying it would depend on the breakthroughs made in the next few years. "This is something nobody can predict," he said, highlighting the unpredictable nature of quantum research and development​.

The event also explored the broader implications of quantum computing beyond cryptography. Shor suggested that quantum computers could have a profound impact on solving complex physics problems, such as understanding high-temperature superconductors. "If we do that, it's also possible that we could develop better high-temperature superconductors," he noted, suggesting that such breakthroughs could have wide-reaching consequences.

As the first Quantum Readiness Day came to a close, the message from Sinha, Shor, and other speakers was clear: the quantum computing revolution is coming, and the time to prepare is now. Whether it's securing digital trust or solving some of the most complex problems in science, the impact of quantum computing will be felt across industries. As Sinha summed up, "We are all in this together... and organisations who have been told 'don't worry about it' need to wake up and make a plan".