Quantum computing and security of information systems

Abstract

Quantum computing (QC) is a fundamentally new interdisciplinary idea at the interface of physics, mathematics and informatics. Today QC is still in its initial stages in terms of its practical implementation due to difficulties related with maintaining a high level of quantum coherency at the macroscopic level. However, theoretical principles of QC are presently well understood and there is a significant on-going progress towards actual prototypes of functioning QC. Present protocols of secure electronic communication can be easily cracked by QC. Thus, the advent of QC can make almost all existing systems of confidential communications utterly unreliable. The present paper gives a non-specialist overview of the principles of QC and discusses some of its possible applications, and also addresses the above challenges concerning the reliability and security of information and communication systems.