Cloud over National Security Agency uber-computer
January 4, 2014
Grazed from TheAustralian. Author: Editorial Staff.
THE National Security Agency is making strides towards building a "quantum computer" that could break nearly any kind of encryption, The Washington Post has reported. The Post said leaked documents from fugitive ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden indicated the "cryptologically useful computer" would allow the secret intelligence agency to break encryption used to protect banking, medical, business and government records around the world.
Quantum computing has been a goal among commercial firms such as IBM because it could exponentially increase the speed and security of computers and other devices…
But experts cited by the Post said it was unlikely the NSA would be close to creating such a machine without the scientific community being aware of it. "It seems improbable that the NSA could be that far ahead of the open world without anybody knowing it," said Scott Aaronson, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The NSA declined to comment…
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