Introduction
Apple has announced that iMessage will be equipped with the quantum encryption protocol “PQ3” as a security measure after the arrival of quantum computers. Why are we starting now to protect against attacks using quantum computers, which have yet to be put into practical use?
Apple has announced the introduction of “post-quantum cryptography” for the first time. It will be deployed on one of the largest scales to date as an encryption technology that anticipates attacks that may occur in the future. The billions of medical records, financial transactions, and messages we send each day are encrypted. Encryption is an essential technology that allows modern life and the global economy to run smoothly. However, the race to develop quantum computers so powerful that they can easily break the codes currently in use has been going on for decades, raising concerns about new risks.
Protecting against attacks using quantum computers Quantum computing technology may still be years or even decades away from becoming a reality. But security officials, tech companies and governments are all ramping up their efforts on a new generation of post-quantum cryptography. In short, the new encryption algorithm protects systems from attacks using quantum computers. Apple announced on February 21st that it will incorporate post-quantum cryptography protocol PQ3 into iMessage. The beta version is already available to some users and will be rolled out to all users with updates to iOS, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4.
According to an Apple blog post, this is “the most significant cryptographic security upgrade in iMessage history,” and “we have rebuilt iMessage’s cryptographic protocols from the ground up.” It is expected to replace existing cryptographic protocols by the end of 2024 completely. Users do not need to do anything other than update the OS. Quantum computers are big business. The United States, China, Russia, and tech companies like Google, Amazon, and IBM are pouring billions of dollars into this (still) relatively new effort. successful development of quantum computers could lead to scientific breakthroughs in everything from new drugs to battery development. Politicians are also eager to turn their countries into quantum superpowers. Existing quantum computing devices are still experimental and not ready for general use.
Are most of today’s codes destined to be broken?
“If quantum computers are deployed in a reliable and scalable manner, they could break most of today’s cryptography,” said Łukasz Olejnik, an independent cybersecurity and privacy researcher and consultant. . This includes the encryption in the messaging apps that billions of people use every day. Most encrypted messaging apps that use public-key cryptography use RSA encryption, elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), or Diffie-Hellman (DH) key agreement. To address this potential threat, which has been recognized since the 1990s, intelligence and security agencies have been vocal about the importance of developing and deploying quantum-resistant cryptography. The driving force behind the creation of new cryptographic protocols is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Oleinik said tech companies are taking the threat of quantum computing “very” seriously.
Adopts the same Cyber algorithm as Signal In a blog post.
Apple details how PQ3 is built and how it works. PQ3 generates post-quantum encryption keys as part of the public keys that smartphones and computers using iMessage create and send to Apple’s servers. Apple also uses the same Kyber algorithm as Signal. PQ3 generates a key from the first message sent, even if the recipient of the message is offline. Apple says that using post-quantum cryptography, PQ3 protects both key generation and message exchange, so it can handle cases where encryption keys are compromised. “Optimal protection of end-to-end encrypted messages requires continued post-quantum encryption keys to limit the number of messages that are at risk from a key compromise that will occur at some point due to the evolution of quantum computers.” and must continue to change,” Apple wrote.
Preventing crises that occur when technology evolves.
Apple said PQ3 was externally evaluated by a third-party security firm (withheld name) and two research groups that analyzed the system and wrote a paper. The company claims that it provides stronger protection than Signal because it continues to issue new quantum keys. “We conclude that this protocol can guarantee strong security even against attackers who have quantum computing capabilities and can break through some aspects of the security.”
Conclusion
Apple is taking a proactive stance to safeguard user data from the potential dangers of quantum computing, as evidenced by the addition of post-quantum encryption to iMessage. Since quantum computers are able to crack conventional encryption schemes, Apple is using cutting-edge cryptography algorithms built to withstand their potential. This action demonstrates Apple’s dedication to privacy and security by guaranteeing that its messaging platform will stay safe despite technology breakthroughs that would jeopardise established encryption standards. Apple is putting itself at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation by incorporating post-quantum encryption, which will protect user communications for years to come.
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