Introduction:

Quantum Computing is inspired by the laws of Quantum Physics. The goal of quantum computer is to perform fast processing in less amount of time. It‘s like you get computing power of lakhs of computer server systems combined in a single chip. Quantum computing represent the data in the form of states. In a typical computing paradigm, the data in each physical state is represented as binary ―0‖ or ―1‖. However, in quantum computing paradigm, each quantum state can maintain both binary ―0‖ and ―1‖ simultaneously, officially called Qubits (quantum bits). The QuBits operate on the two properties that create quantum effect i.e. superposition and entanglement where QuBit is the unit of quantum information. A Quantum computer will need multiple qubits to operate.

The concept and implementation of Qubits opened a new horizon in the field of data processing and AI enabling fastest computing operations till date. Since the inception of achieving “quantum supremacy”, officially announced by Google, one of the areas that we must focus in is the future threats to all applications dependent on IT, not just restricted to military applications, power distribution, smart cities but all automated infrastructures (critical infrastructure).

Microsoft is another corporate which has been ambitiously conducting the research in quantum computing. Microsoft service, named Azure Quantum, integrates quantum programming tools the company released previously with its cloud service. Coders can run quantum code on simulated quantum hardware, or real quantum hardware from conglomerates like Honeywell, and start-ups such as IonQ, or QCI. Though they haven‘t claimed the quantum computer hardware being ready, Microsoft Azure Quantum aspires to provide various cloud- based services with the quantum computing capabilities and also provides an open-source Quantum Development Kit for the developers.

Though not participating in the race of building a computing hardware, Amazon has announced it will partner with three firms to offer online access to prototype quantum processors. The firm has come up with a new service called Amazon Braket, customers will be able to test algorithms and calculations on quantum processors from D-Wave Systems, IonQ and Rigetti Computing, in addition to the classically-powered simulation environment and will allow them to get some hands-on experience with qubits and quantum circuits, through a notebook-style interface. Amazon also recently introduced a Quantum Ledger Database, that would record a log of transactions and be able to automatically scale and execute two to three times more transactions than already existing products.

Advantaged of Quantum Evolution:

As all the previous technological advances in the IT field have contributed in optimizing the functions in a diverse range of fields, quantum computing also will aid in revolutionizing a variety of fields. Being a costly affair, initially it can find its implementation in the following domains.

1. Defense Applications of Quantum Computing:

An extensive amount of research has been happening in the communication mechanism using Quantum Computing capabilities with an aim to create a hack-proof quantum communication link. China has already implemented a proof-of-concept on first long distance, terrestrial quantum-communication link between Beijing and Shanghai using quantum computing capabilities to transmit the information instantly and securely in the year 2017. China is planning to use this type of communication channel for internal communications.

. Quantum Applications in AI:

One of the core challenges for AI practitioners is the time required for the AI applications to learn and identify the pattern of big data which can help the AI applications to do predictions, recommendations, etc. Computers with quantum capabilities can perform AI learning tasks with a few seconds which conventional system would take a number of days, opening a wide scope in all AI domain not just limited to medical, banking, finance, healthcare, and automobile.

Threats to critical infrastructure:

Brute-forcing was considered one of the best techniques when it comes to password cracking to performing cryptanalysis. A typical brute-force algorithm tries all possible combinations to figure out the correct combination to crack into the system or software. However, brute-force is one of the slowest methods of hacking since our processors or cluster computing techniques was not capable to speed up the operations. Whereas, now due to quantum processor, brute-force can now be one of the best methods when it comes to cracking critical information. Some of the possible future threats that can be introduced due to quantum computing on critical infrastructures and communication channels are as listed below:

1. Breach of existing Secure Communication Channel:

Compromising secure end-to-end data encryption channels used by military or financial institutions for transferring critical data would be very easy if the hacker has access to quantum processing engines which has the capability to process 10 million bits in a second. The current encryption mechanism was termed secure based on the time required to get compromised. Some of the common algorithms used is RSA and AES algorithms which claim the fact that if the same needs to be compromised using brute-force technique, it will take years to crack using the supercomputers. However, using systems having quantum capabilities, the same can be cracked in some seconds. So, if an intruder is capable to perform ―Man in the Middle‖ attack on a secure channel, he can sniff and collect the data and can decrypt the same at the same time period resulting in data confidentiality breach.

. Decrypting Encrypted Drives using Quantum Cryptanalysis:

Many companies archive the data in offshore data premises and its security is maintained using ―data-at-rest‖ encryption algorithms. Compromising encrypted data stored in overseas servers containing critical information would become an easy task if quantum capabilities are used for decrypting the same.

 Autonomous Unmanned Explosives based on AI Object Detection, Real-time Trajectories Recognition and Object Tracking mechanisms:

With the evolution of AI and its capabilities to identify real-time trajectories, object detection and recognition, there is a fair possibility of developing Unmanned Bombs which can easily bypass most of the existing security mechanisms like RADAR/SONAR sensors, motion detectors, thermal sensors etc.

Quantum computing could crack the existing cryptographic schemes such as the widely used RSA, Diffie-Hellman and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). These schemes protect government classified data, businesses‘ intellectual property, and citizen‘s privacy as well as all communications across these entities.

There is a degree of urgency in the drive towards creating a cryptography that is resistant to quantum computing. Such schemes are commonly referred to as ―quantum-proof cryptography. As the Quantum communication links will be established, they will make the existing Web infrastructure obsolete. Though the transition will take at least a decade. Asymmetric cryptographic algorithms used in key exchange protocols appear to be the most vulnerable to compromise by known quantum algorithms, specifically by Shor‘s algorithm.

The countries which will be able to achieve the post quantum cryptography, will enjoy an asymmetric advantage in terms of not only securing their critical infrastructure, military communication but also acquiring the capability to breach the security of the adversaries.

Major Power Competition in the age of Quantum Computing:

China has aggressively pursued the research in the field of quantum computing. National strategy of China established in 2016 by President Xi Jinping emphasized on China to become technologically self-reliant. China aims at becoming the global leader in technology and innovation by surpassing USA. The Worldwide Threat Assessment Report to the US Senate points out at US‘s lead in science and technology being eroded by Chinese advances in the field.

According to a market research firm called Pat informatics, China had nearly twice as many patent filings as the United States for quantum technology overall, a category that includes communications and cryptology devices. The United States leads the world in patents relating to the most prized segment of the quantum computers domain, due to the heavy investments by the private firms like IBM, Microsoft and Google. A number of North American companies like Northrup Grumman, HP, Raytheon, QinetiQ, and Magiq Technologies have substantial patent portfolio. On the other hand, the Chinese firms such as Qasky, QuantumCTek, and Shenzhou Quantum are also worth watching in terms of the number of patent portfolios they are building.

Jian-Wei Pan, also known as China‘s ―father of quantum‖, carried out the launch of Micius satellite, named after an ancient Chinese philosopher, in August 2016. China also aims to complete its QUESS Micius satellite program by 2020, creating a quantum-encrypted connection between Europe and Asia.

Scott Aronson, the David J. Bruton Centennial Professor of Computer Science and the Director of Quantum Computing Centre at University of Texas, has also mentioned about the possibility of China being ahead of the US in terms of Quantum Communication. Although, due to the large investments by the three American firms Google, IBM and Microsoft, USA still maintains a lead in terms of the hardware capabilities. Google‘s Sycamore is a 53-bit quantum computer whereas the Chinese have been working on a 50-bit Quantum Computing hardware as of now.

As the technology matures, its penetration in the civilian domain applications will increase, hence leading to the data vulnerability and larger risk of invasion of privacy. Though the exposure has already been happening with the incorporation of AI frameworks like Machine Learning and Deep Learning. One of the ways to keep the infrastructure protected is to migrate existing infrastructure to quantum-based infrastructure. Quantum computing being a costly affair and the prototypes being accessible to a selected few actors, its proliferation will take place at a very slow pace and taking into account the strategic implications of sharing the same.

Better late than never, in January 2019, India set out to build quantum computers, that will not only place the country in league with select countries including the US, China, and a number of European Countries like Netherlands among others, but it will also help in improving the state of national security as quantum-level encrypted information becomes a common communication standard.

In the first phase of India‘s quantum computing program, the country will lay out the basic infrastructure that is needed to promote research in this field. The Department of Science & Technology has set up a programme called Quantum-Enabled Science & Technology (QuEST) with an initial investment of Rs. 80 Cr. Once the first phase is completed, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) are expected to jointly allocate a sum of Rs. 300 crores to push QuEST to Phase 2 to meet the international standards.

―We are late, but not so late that we cannot make a global impact.‖ says Dr. R. Vijayaraghavan, head of the only established experimental group in India which is working on superconducting quantum devices at the Quantum Measurement and Control (QuMaC) Lab in Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). The group which started in December 2012, became fully operational in January 2014. They have a number of important publications which include the development of a new type of ultra-low noise broadband amplifier for quantum measurements and a novel three-qubit quantum processor called the ―Trimon‖.

Other than quantum computing hardware, India also needs to develop post quantum cryptography and quantum communication channels, in order to benefit from the same, as building a standalone hardware will not be sufficient to provide the desired results as the necessary dataset cannot be practically gathered in real time to exploit these quantum computing capabilities to the fullest. In the years to come, a coordinated effort to link the quantum communication channels with the quantum and classical computer hardware secured with the post quantum cryptographic algorithm will essentially decide India‘s future as a quantum computing capable state.

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