Google shows off research into quantum and post quantum computing

Google working on a genuine Quantum Leap

Quantum computing may currently be in its infancy, but Google claims that it is experimenting with 'post-quantum' cryptography and computing. Indeed, the company says it already has working quantum computers that have the potential to easily outperform an average laptop.

Matt Braithwaite, a software engineer at Google, said that the company is working on ways to secure the systems because they will eventually become common.

"Quantum computers exist today, but they are small and experimental, containing only a handful of quantum bits. It's not even certain that large machines will ever be built, although Google, IBM, Microsoft, Intel and others are working on it," he said in a post on the Google Chrome Blog.

"However, a hypothetical future quantum computer would be able to retrospectively decrypt any internet communication that was recorded today, and many types of information need to remain confidential for decades.

"Thus even the possibility of a future quantum computer is something that we should be thinking about today."

Google is doing just that, and is in the experimental stage with crypto security. It's not a straightforward business, and Braithwaite delivers a barrage of bamboozlement.

"Today we're announcing an experiment in Chrome where a small fraction of connections between desktop Chrome and Google's servers will use a post-quantum key-exchange algorithm in addition to the elliptic-curve key-exchange algorithm that would typically be used," he said.

"By adding a post-quantum algorithm on top of the existing one, we are able to experiment without affecting user security. The post-quantum algorithm might turn out to be breakable even with today's computers, in which case the elliptic-curve algorithm will still provide the best security that today's technology can offer.

"Alternatively, if the post-quantum algorithm turns out to be secure it'll protect the connection even against a future quantum computer."

The good news if this is your bag is that evidence is available now. "This experiment is currently enabled in Chrome Canary and you can tell whether it's being used by opening the recently introduced Security Panel and looking for 'CECPQ1', for example on the Google Play store," added Braithwaite.

"Not all Google domains will have it enabled and the experiment may appear and disappear a few times if any issues are found."