MIT researchers have developed a new encryption circuit that could be used to protect low-power “internet of things” (IoT) devices in the future.
Quantum computers can, in principle, perform calculations that are currently practically impossible for classical computers. Bringing quantum computers to the market and online could enable advances in medical research, drug discovery, and other fields. But there's a catch: If hackers also have access to quantum computers, they could potentially break the strong encryption systems that protect data exchanged between devices.
To avoid this problem, researchers are developing robust quantum encryption systems. For example, “lattice-based encryption” can hide information in extremely complex mathematical structures so that current quantum algorithms cannot crack the data. But it won’t be useful for “internet of things” devices because they can’t withstand the power required to run this encryption system.
MIT researchers have developed a new circuit architecture and statistical optimization tricks that can be used for lattice-based cryptography. The 2 mm² chips the team has developed are efficient enough to be integrated into any current IoT device.
This architecture could accommodate the multiple lattice-based encryption schemes currently being studied for use when quantum computers come online. “That may be a few decades from now, but it takes a long time to determine whether these techniques are truly secure,” says one of the paper’s authors, Utsav Banerjee. “It may seem early, but the sooner the better.”.
Furthermore, the researchers say, the circuit is the first of its kind to meet lattice-based encryption standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce that finds and writes regulations for encryption systems.
