Internet may need its biggest-ever overhaul

As quantum technology advances rapidly, governments and technology companies are preparing for a future where today’s internet security may no longer be enough.

- By Dr. James Kang

This could require costly upgrades, or even replacement, of much of today’s digital infrastructure.

Encryption is used everywhere across the internet, including online banking, e-commerce, websites, cloud services, and digital communications. Its purpose is to protect private information and ensure that only authorised people can access it, typically in combination with usernames, passwords, and verification codes.

Encryption also helps maintain data integrity, meaning information sent through the internet has not been altered or compromised during transmission. This protection is achieved by scrambling information into unreadable code that can only be unlocked with the correct digital key.

Most people assume their encrypted data is safe forever once it is protected online. But what if the same information could one day be unlocked by future quantum computers?

Hackers can collect encrypted and sensitive data today and store it for future use when quantum computers become powerful enough to decrypt it. This is known as a “harvest now, decrypt later” attack. If stolen files, emails, financial records, or cloud data become readable in the future, the consequences could be enormous.