Breaking Cryptography with Quantum Computers - Challenges and Timeline

Explore the challenges and realities of quantum computing's potential impact on cryptography in this 33-minute conference talk. Gain a high-level understanding of quantum algorithms and the steps required for their implementation on real hardware. Examine a simple model for interpreting past and future announcements about the approaching "cryptopocalypse" - the point at which quantum computing could crack public-key cryptography using Shor's algorithm. Analyze recent examples and press releases claiming imminent breakthroughs in breaking cryptography, while learning to distinguish between genuine advancements and potentially misleading information. Discover the industry's efforts in standardizing and implementing post-quantum cryptography to mitigate future risks from quantum computers. Led by Itan Barmes, team lead at Deloitte, this presentation aims to demystify the timeline for quantum computers powerful enough to break current cryptographic systems and provide a balanced perspective on the ongoing developments in this field.