Publication Date
4-11-2018
School
School of Engineering and Computational Sciences
Major
Computer Science
Keywords
Quantum Computing, Cryptography, Integer Factorization, Qubit, Discrete Logarithm, Quantum Algorithm, Asymmetric Cryptography, RSA, Diffie-Hellman, Shor's Algorithm, Grover's Algorithm, Supersingular Isogeny, NTRU
Disciplines
Information Security | Number Theory | Theory and Algorithms
Recommended Citation
Marron, Zachary, "Quantum Attacks on Modern Cryptography and Post-Quantum Cryptosystems" (2018). Senior Honors Theses. 728.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/728
Abstract
Cryptography is a critical technology in the modern computing industry, but the security of many cryptosystems relies on the difficulty of mathematical problems such as integer factorization and discrete logarithms. Large quantum computers can solve these problems efficiently, enabling the effective cryptanalysis of many common cryptosystems using such algorithms as Shor’s and Grover’s. If data integrity and security are to be preserved in the future, the algorithms that are vulnerable to quantum cryptanalytic techniques must be phased out in favor of quantum-proof cryptosystems. While quantum computer technology is still developing and is not yet capable of breaking commercial encryption, these steps can be taken immediately to ensure that the impending development of large quantum computers does not compromise sensitive data.