Date: June 27, 2025
Chinese researchers at Shanghai University have harnessed a D‑Wave quantum annealing processor to factor a 22-bit RSA key, marking the most advanced quantum attack on RSA to date. Although 22-bit encryption is trivial by current standards—leaping from prior 19-bit records—it demonstrates that quantum machines are starting to erode classical cryptography's gaps. The team cleverly converted the factoring problem into a combinatorial optimization format, enabling the annealer to reliably find solutions . Unlike universal gate-based quantum computers running Shor’s algorithm, which require error correction and deeper circuits, quantum annealers like D‑Wave sidestep these hurdles with simpler, analog quantum processes. Still, to threaten real-world RSA—2048-bit keys used in everyday encryption—hardware must scale enormously, demanding millions of qubits and significant improvements in error resilience.
Why it matters now:
This milestone isn’t an immediate risk, but it signals accelerating momentum toward Q‑Day—when quantum computers can outpace public-key cryptography. Governments and businesses must fast-track crypto-agility: auditing cryptographic footprints, deploying hybrid post‑quantum standards, and future-proofing sensitive data against “store now, decrypt later” threats.
What You Need to Know
- Proof‑of‑concept shake‑up: While targeting just 22-bit RSA, the achievement proves quantum annealers can tackle factoring by reframing it as an optimization challenge—hinting at broader potential.
- Quantum computing forks: The annealing approach differs from Shor’s algorithm. It leverages hardware simplicity but faces exponential scaling issues—gate-based methods remain the more potent, albeit distant, threat
- Time is running out: Though current tools aren’t yet capable of breaking industry-standard encryption, progress is steady. The gap between lab success and real-world impact is shrinking.
- Urgent actions for all: Conduct a cryptographic inventory, adopt hybrid quantum-safe protocols, and build crypto‑agility to prepare for quantum-proof security.
Conclusion
This development isn't a full-scale crisis yet—but it's a wake-up call. Innovation in quantum is no longer theoretical; it's here, evolving, and inching closer to endangering today’s encryption. You should understand that proactive migration to quantum-resistant frameworks isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Source: Earth.Com
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