Is Hardware-Based Security Better Than Quantum Computing?

Quantum computing has been making waves in the technology world for years but when it comes to security, enterprises are putting their trust in hardware-based solutions instead. A recent Financial Times article raised the debate on what's better hardware-based security better than quantum computing. It criticized Chinese researchers' claims of defeating RSA encryption using quantum computers and quoted, "Hype around quantum computing recedes over lack of practical uses."

According to recent reports, the core technologies behind quantum computing – quantum bits or qubits – are too noisy to provide the telemetry data that endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) need to operate effectively on a large scale in an enterprise. This noise is making it impractical for mainstream cybersecurity use at present.

Hardware-based security solutions such as Trusted Platform Module 2.0, Virtualization-based Security (VBS), and Windows Defender Credential Guard protect credentials by adding hardware and software security layers, making it much harder for attackers to steal information from a device.

Martin G. Dixon, Intel fellow and VP of Intel's security architecture and engineering group, believes in zero trust, stating that the concept should extend to silicon. He refers to the infrastructure on the chip as a "network on a chip." In one of the papers on the zero-trust approach, he writes, "I believe the zero-trust concepts shouldn't stop at the network or system. Rather, they can be applied down inside the silicon. We even refer to infrastructure on the chip as a network or 'network on a chip."

Source

Research shows that quantum computing has the potential to take artificial intelligence (AI) to the next level. In fact, The American Scientist reported that the U.S National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is already evaluating 69 potential new methods for what it calls 'post-quantum cryptography PQC'.

Nevertheless, with the incomparable computing power that quantum computers possess, it would render all current encryption mechanisms useless overnight. It would put secure communication and transactions over the internet at risk of being cracked and misused. Cryptocurrencies would also become vulnerable and no longer safe and anonymous.

Researchers are already working on post-quantum cryptography to find new methods for secure communication in the future. So, will enterprises be trusting the tried and tested hardware-based security solution until quantum computing holds the key to unlocking AI's full potential? Or hardware-based security will be the forever security thing for enterprises? Let us know your views in the comments section!