Securing Our Future Against Quantum Threats

Security and privacy are values that everyone cherishes. No tech user wants their personal information getting into the wrong hands, which is why we have security measures in place to protect our private data: face ID to unlock our phones, two-factor authentication to log into banking apps and fingerprint technology to securely enter any system-from a computer to your front door. Encryption codes are used on each of these platforms to encode private data and allow only authorized users to access it. These measures are put in place to protect us, but new advancements in technology could soon challenge these secure systems that we have come to know and trust.

Quantum computers are extraordinary machines capable of solving problems far beyond the scope of today's standard computers. Although these computers are not commercially available, scientists harness their power for experimentation and data storage. Quantum computers excel in scientific development, but they may also prove to be a threat to existing technology that we use in our daily lives. Experts predict that by 2035, quantum computers could crack the very encryption codes that secure everyday transactions and data.

Jiafeng Xie, PhD, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Villanova University, is at the forefront of this battle, using his Security and Cryptography Lab to strengthen security measures against the threat of quantum computers.