Quantum News Briefs August 31: New era for VPN security begins with post-quantum encryption standards • Australia’s $1 billion bet an a future world-class quantum computer • NUS researchers successfully simulate lattices that can help understand  quantum materials sought in tech applications •

Tech Radar reports: New era for VPN security begins with post-quantum encryption standards

Today’s VPN protocols often leverage RSA-based key exchanges to so only you and whoever you’re sending stuff to can actually see what’s going on. Because of the way quantum computers work, this is no longer safe for the future. Chiara Castro discussed the VPN industry’s transition to quantum-safe encryption in her August 29 TechRadar article summarized below by Quantum News Briefs.
Among the best VPN providers, only a handful of services have already implemented quantum-safe encryption. NIST’s work will be crucial for reversing this trend, officially raising the bar for VPN security standards. Alongside the three quantum-resistant algorithms, NIST also offers instructions on implementing them and their intended uses. “They’re a crucial resource for us,” Tom Cohar, Head of Infrastructure at Hide.me said. “Just by following these standards, we can support post-quantum cryptography, maintain compatibility and interoperability, meet regulatory requirements, and ultimately protect our users’ data against future cryptographic threats.”
“VPNs rely heavily on cryptographic protocols for securing communication, so the industry must now prepare to adopt these new standards to ensure long-term security against future quantum computer threats,” explained Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.
Transition to a quantum-safe VPN product is filled with technical challenges that developers need to overcome. Below are the main issues providers have to deal with:

• • Risk of security flaws:
  • Lack of VPN protocol integration:
  • Inconsistent browser support:
  • Matching security and performance:

Once developers manage to address all the technical challenges and finally implement the quantum-safe algorithms, it will be time to review their effectiveness. Remember, full integration will take time.

TechRepublic Reports: “Australia’s $1 billion bet an a future world-class quantum computer”

Earlier this year, Australia agreed to invest nearly AUD $1 billion in U.S.-based quantum start-up PsiQuantum in an effort to become the first country to own a commercial-scale quantum computer  expected to be operational by 2027.
However, the deal has raised a number of questions since being announced according to Ben Abbott in his August 30 TechRepublic article summarized here. These concerns include how PsiQuantum was selected, why Australia is betting so big on a single quantum technology, and the exclusivity of the deal, given PsiQuantum is also working on a quantum computer for the U.S.
There are still a number of questions about the deal since it was announced in 2024.Two of PsiQuantum’s co-founders — CEO Jeremy O’Brien and Chief Architect Terry Rudolph.PsiQuantum is based in the U.S. The investment in a U.S.-based quantum start-up has been questioned by local players, especially in the context of the Australian government’s Future Made in Australia policy, which seeks to invest more in Australian companies
The investment is split equally between the Australian and Queensland governments, with each contributing approximately AUD $470 million to the project.
Australians may only have a year to enjoy owning the first useful quantum computer. Soon after Australia’s announcement, PsiQuantum revealed it would build a second computer in Chicago in the U.S. by 2028, where it would be leveraging learnings from the Australian experience.

BioEngineer Reports: “NUS researchers successfully simulate lattices that can help understand  quantum materials sought in tech applications”

Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have successfully simulated higher-order topological (HOT) lattices with unprecedented accuracy using digital quantum computers. These complex lattice structures can help us understand advanced quantum materials with robust quantum states that are highly sought after in various technological applications.
Using many-body quantum interactions, a team of researchers led by Assistant Professor Lee Ching Hua from the Department of Physics under the NUS Faculty of Science has developed a scalable approach to encode large, high-dimensional HOT lattices representative of actual topological materials into the simple spin chains that exist in current-day digital quantum computers. Their approach leverages the exponential amounts of information that can be stored using quantum computer qubits while minimising quantum computing resource requirements in a noise-resistant manner. This breakthrough opens up a new direction in the simulation of advanced quantum materials using digital quantum computers, thereby unlocking new potential in topological material engineering.