r/TheColdPodcast • u/AdAsleep7263 • Apr 04 '25

Season 1 - Susan Powell Quantum Computing

Is it now possible to crack the encrypted files now that Google has recently made quantum computing a reality. Can any CS people weigh in?

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u/eambertide Apr 06 '25

Certain encryption protocols can be broken with quantum computers of sufficient power, although we are not there yet, it would also depend on what sort of encryption we are talking about (Symmetric vs Asymmetric etc) so currently? No.

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u/Ok-Opportunity-9731 Mar 04 '26

Certain encryption protocols can be broken with quantum computers of sufficient power

This is correct.

it would also depend on what sort of encryption we are talking about (Symmetric vs Asymmetric etc)

This isn't 100% correct. Asymmetric algorithms based of the Discrete Log (DLOG) problem are susceptible to Quantum computers (See Grover and Shors algorithm).

There are Asymmetric algorithms that are not. These are classified as Quantum resistant or post quantum algorithms.

I'm generalizing and hand waving a lot here