RSA encryption

A new study suggests a sufficiently advanced quantum computer could break RSA encryption, the technology securing much of the internet, in as little as three days. The claim renews debate over how urgently governments and companies need to adopt post-quantum cryptography before quantum machines become powerful enough to threaten banking, messaging and other secure communications.

French quantum computing company Alice & Bob announced a record-low estimate for the quantum resources needed to break internet encryption. The company says its cat qubit approach dramatically reduces the number of physical qubits required to run Shor's algorithm against RSA cryptography. The claim is drawing attention from cybersecurity experts assessing how soon quantum computers could threaten current encryption standards.

French quantum computing startup Alice & Bob has published an estimate for factoring RSA-2048, the encryption standard widely used to secure online communications, using its cat qubit technology. The company says its approach pushes the frontier between the size and speed of quantum machines needed to break RSA encryption. The claim draws attention because factoring RSA-2048 with quantum computers would threaten much of today's cryptographic security.