The quantum internet is one of the most eagerly anticipated technologies of the 21st century. It promises perfectly secure communication, guaranteed by the laws of physics. And it should help to bootstrap a number of quantum technologies that are on the verge mainstream application: quantum computing, quantum metrology and quantum imaging, to name just a few.
But there is a fly in the quantum ointment. While quantum networks offer all kinds of benefits by exploiting the strange laws of quantum mechanics, these laws also lead to weaknesses. And that raises the interesting question of how malicious actors will exploit them with a new generation of quantum hacks.
Today, we get an insight into what’s in store thanks to the work of Takahiko Satoh at Keio University in Tokyo and a number of colleagues. This group has studied quantum network technology and identified several vulnerabilities that classical networks do not have. Their study suggests these networks will need to be protected in new ways from quantum attacks.
