Quantum News Briefs August 29: Chessboard-like method enables the operation of largest gate-defined quantum dot system; Quantized Technologies encrypts data using quantum photons; Five common misconceptions about quantum computing + MORE

Quantum News Briefs August 29:

Chessboard-like method enables the operation of largest gate-defined quantum dot system

Researchers from Delft established a way to address many quantum dots with only a few control lines using a chessboard-like method. This enabled the operation of the largest gate-defined quantum dot system ever. Their result is an important step in the development of scalable quantum systems for practical quantum technology. Quantum News Briefs summarizes August 28 article in Phys.org by Qutech.
Quantum dots can be used to hold qubits, the building blocks of a quantum computer. Currently, each qubit requires its own addressing line and dedicated control electronics. This is highly unpractical and in stark contrast with today’s computer technology, where billions of transistors are operated with a couple of thousand lines.
Researchers at QuTech—a collaboration between the TU Delft and TNO—have developed a similar method for addressing quantum dots. Just like the locations of chess pieces are addressed using a combination of letters (A to H) and numbers (1 to 8), their quantum dots can be addressed using a combination of horizontal and vertical lines. Any point on a chessboard can be defined and addressed by using a specific combination of a letter and a number. Their approach takes the state-of-the-art to the next level and enables the operation of a 16 quantum dot system in a 4×4 array.
Principal investigator Menno Veldhorst saysVeldhorst said, “In another recent publication, we show that an array of germanium quantum dots can be used for quantum simulation.” This work is the first coherent quantum simulation that uses standard semiconductor manufacturing materials. ” Click here to read article in-entirety.

Five common misconceptions about quantum computing

Bernard Marr wrote in Forbes recently about five common misconceptions concerning what quantum computing will do and how it will impact society. Quantum News Briefs summarizes the five misunderstanding Marr discussed in his August 23 Forbes article.
Classical Computers Will Be Replaced By Quantum Computers
Quantum computers are not likely to ever replace classical computers (those that translate information into binary bits – ones and zeroes – in order to digitally process it). There are lots of tasks that will simply never require the immense power of quantum computing, which has the potential to perform calculations that would take classical computers billions or even trillions of years in hours.
Quantum Computers Are Faster At Every Kind Of Job
Quantum computers excel at a subset of mathematical problems that are only required for complex tasks. Lots of these involve scientific research. hey are also great for modeling non-quantum, but still highly complex, systems such as financial markets, meteorological patterns and biological ecosystems.
However, when it comes to most day-to-day tasks, we use computers for – from word processing to watching videos and playing games – they’re unlikely to offer any significant speed increase just yet.
Quantum Computing Means The End Of Encryption
Quantum computing has important implications for encryption – the technology that underpins basically all privacy and data security on the internet. It won’t render it all useless, but encryption protocols – including those widely used to secure data on the internet, such as RSA and ECC – are far more vulnerable to quantum-powered hacking attacks than they are to classical hacking attacks. This problem has been on the radar for some time, and cryptologists have been busy working on “quantum-safe” encryption protocols. In the US, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is currently undergoing an evaluation of the threat and potential remedies of post-quantum encryption.
There’s No Practical Use For Quantum Computers Yet
It’s still very early days in the evolution of the quantum revolution, but it’s certainly a mistake to think that it hasn’t started. Delivery giant DHL uses quantum computers to optimize delivery routes. Goldman Sachs has developed quantum algorithms that are used to complete financial calculations, pharmaceutical conglomerate Merk uses quantum chemistry to help develop new antibiotics.
Quantum Computing Is Only Viable For Governments And Big Business
While the cost of quantum computers themselves is certainly high, and they need to be kept and operated in highly secure and controlled environments, access to the technology is coming down in price. Many of the problems that can be solved with quantum computers are relevant to smaller businesses and organizations, such as optimizing supply chains or creating new products more efficiently. This means that quantum computing providers are already developing and offering services designed to make the technology accessible to these businesses.  Click here to read Marr’s Forbes article in-entirety.

How to protect critical infrastructure in the quantum-computing era

Unique issues are involved in cybersecurity for critical infrastructure (CI) such as petroleum pipelines, power stations, electric utilities, water treatment plants, dams, ports, and mass transport systems. Quantum News Briefs summarizes and August 21 article in Federal times by Darren Pulsipher this describes the need and the ways to protect critical infrastructure in quantum-computing era.
Exploits that target IT might result in exposed data or business disruption. Attacks on operational technology (OT) could result in injury, illness, or worse across cities or regions.
But operational technology (OT)-specific approaches are no longer adequate for safeguarding Critical infrastruction (CI), for two reasons. First, both are becoming interconnected as OT becomes digitized. Second, quantum computing could soon render existing password and data encryption strategies obsolete.
OT managers adhere to the Purdue Model, a framework for industrial control system security, developed at Purdue University in the 1990s. The Purdue Model emphasizes segmentation of operations, processes, controls, and sensors to protect OT from cyberattacks. OT is completely isolated from IT, with the equivalent of a demilitarized zone between them.
The Purdue Model remains a bedrock of OT security. But it’s no longer sufficient, because OT properties are no longer truly separated from IT. OT systems rely on expanding networks of IoT devices. They’re increasingly monitored over remote connections. Some are disconnected from the internet but connected to corporate IT. Others are cut off from IT but exposed to the internet.
Strengthening OT security for the quantum era starts with risk assessment. Many organizations lack a clear picture of how their OT systems are vulnerable – and the potential consequences of those vulnerabilities.Critical infrastructure organizations can leverage assessment tools designed for IT security by using these tools to identify all the resources on the network, down to the firmware level, and uncover security gaps. Keep in mind that if an assessment tool can find a resource on the network, so can an attacker.
An effective tool should provide the organization with a risk score. But remember that the tool is likely designed for IT, not operational technology (OT). The organization needs to understand how the tool calculated the risk score and then factor in OT requirements to gain a true understanding of the vulnerabilities. Now the CI organization can prioritize remediations based on the likelihood of attack, the sensitivity of the data, and the criticality of the infrastructure. Click here to read the article in-entirety in Federal Times.

Sandra K. Helsel, Ph.D. has been researching and reporting on frontier technologies since 1990.  She has her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona.

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