Bringing Quantum Cryptography to Mobile Phones

Category: Science & Technology Posted: April 7, 2014 06:31AM Author: Guest_Jim_*

Mobile communication has become an important part of our lives, so secure mobile communication is of vital importance. Personal and sensitive information, such as passwords and account numbers are exchanged between our mobile devices and remote servers over the air, and securing it can be difficult due to the small size of mobile devices. Researchers at the University of Bristol though have demonstrated a means to bring quantum cryptography to mobile devices, without adding too much bulk.

Quantum cryptography is a security system that takes advantage of the sensitivity of quantum systems. These systems are so fragile that even the act of observing them can change them, which is what the cryptographic protocols use. By transmitting an encryption key between two parties with quantum particles, such as photons, they can both be alerted to a third party listening in, as the particles will have been affected. The technology to create those particles though is typically too bulky to be integrated into a mobile device. The Bristol researchers however have developed a protocol that need only have an optical chip built into the device.

With such a protocol it would become almost impossible for a hacker to pull your information out of the air. Now the researchers are just working on bringing the protocol out of the lab and into a real device.

Source: University of Bristol

See the article here:
Bringing Quantum Cryptography to Mobile Phones