NSA Trying To Build Quantum Computer 221
New submitter sumoinsanity writes "The Washington Post has disclosed that the NSA is trying to build a quantum computer for use in cracking modern encryption. Their work is part of a research project into tackling the toughest equipment, which received $79.7 million in total funding. Another article makes the case that the NSA's quantum computing efforts are both disturbing and reassuring. The reassuring part is that public key infrastructure is still OK when done properly, since the NSA is still working so hard to defeat it. It's also highly unlikely that the NSA has achieved significant progress without outside awareness or help. More disturbing is that it may simply be a matter of time before it fails, and our private messages are out there for all to see."
$79.7 million? (Score:4, Insightful)
That figure is so small vs total intelligence+defence budget that it'd be worth setting up a faux research effort just to give the misleading impression that they haven't yet developed something far better.
Re:Which part is most disturbing? (Score:5, Insightful)
This is what they should be working on (Score:5, Insightful)
The NSA deserves a lot of criticism for some of the things they've been doing. However, this is the kind of thing they should be working on. It's not the tools they have that bothers me. It is how they use them that is the problem.
Re:No shit? (Score:5, Insightful)
Agreed, breaking encryption systems is one of the two primary reasons the NSA was formed in the first place ... this is the NSA doing what they are supposed to do!
Re:No shit? (Score:5, Insightful)
And if the NSA could keep its hands off of domestic data, that wouldn't be an issue, but seeing as it uses existing tools to spy without warrant on US citizens on US territory, there is no reason to believe they won't apply new technologies in the same way.
Re:Comment is not flamebait, it's a physics pun (Score:1, Insightful)
That's how you know you are on the right side of things - when instead of arguing with you, they are simply trying to shut you up so you can't post more than 1-2 times a day.
Or, y'know, you're a troll. Which given your posting history, I'm gonna have to say that the people (not singular as you imply, but multiple) modding you down are being accurate.