WATERLOO — The Internet of Things is rapidly unfolding as everything from fire hydrants and water pipes to home appliances and medical devices are outfitted with sensors and devices that collect and transmit information.
But people also want that data to be secure, not only now, but in the distant future, when quantum computer devices might be able to break today’s toughest software cryptography.
That’s why Terepac Corp., which is making so-called Internet of Things technology, and evolutionQ Inc., a company comprised of quantum computer experts, along with the University of Waterloo’s Institute for Quantum Computing, are thinking ahead.
They formed a three-way partnership to make sure that the people who are designing and building the technology today are aware of what can happen in 10 or 15 years down the road, when quantum computers might be making a mark on our lives.
As part of the partnership, evolutionQ will help Terepac create a quantum-readiness plan, providing advice about where vulnerabilities might be in the quantum-computer era, and strategies and tools that could be implemented now to make any transition into that era much easier.
At the same time, Terepac will provide future cryptographers and cybersecurity experts in the CryptoWorks21 program at the Institute for Quantum Computing with a better understanding of the way cybersecurity systems are implemented now, so that they can develop better and more practical quantum solutions for the future.
Quantum computers are already much more than science fiction, said Michele Musca, co-founder and cryptography expert at the institute and a co-founder with Norbert Lütkenhaus of evolutionQ, a professional services company that is helping companies prepare for the quantum future.
Quantum computers are not just faster and better computers — they would operate in a radically different way to exploit the powerful quantum mechanical features of subatomic particles.
Instead of just computing in a linear binary way, with the presence or absence of an electrical charge being converted into “bits” of zeros or ones, quantum computers can take the rich quantum properties of subatomic particles and turn them into “qubits” that can be both zero and one at the same time. Quantum computers could potentially run simulations and solve problems that are far too big for today’s computers.
But there is a catch: A quantum computer could also break public encryption keys used today to keep data safe.
Mosca predicts that scientists might soon be able to successfully control as many as 20 qubits. It might be 10 or 15 years after that before there are truly practical quantum computers, but Mosca said it is not too early to start planning for that future. He said there is a one-in-seven chance it could happen by 2026, and a one-in-two chance of it happening by 2031.
“If we want the advent of quantum computers to be a positive milestone in human history, we have to make sure that our cyber infrastructure is quantum-safe first,” Mosca said. To take a “wait-and-see” approach could be a “catastrophe” because “the key parts of the cyber infrastructure would just crumble,” he added.
Meanwhile, Terepac is already building out the “Internet of Things,” with sensors and devices that collect data that is encrypted at source and, from there, securely transmitted into cloud-based networks and to clients.
The company brought on board some of the people who were at BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion) and who have a wealth of experience with encryption and securing devices, said Ric Asselstine, chief executive at Terepac.
It has about 15 core employees and about 40 contractors. The company’s expertise includes everything from advanced materials and microelectronics to software development and application development, he said.
The company is currently working on a pilot project to put sensors and data collection instruments on municipal hydrants, for example. But such sensors and instruments could be attached to anything, from an object that is part of the public infrastructure to equipment in a mine or even a home appliance or medical device.
“It used to be that everyone wanted to be connected, but now it seems that every thing needs to be connected,” Asselstine said.
But no one wants such data to fall into the wrong hands or have it hacked. “We want to give a voice to objects in the world, but we want to do it securely, not only for today but for tomorrow,” Asselstine said.
The partnership will enhance the company’s relationships with its clients, and give them a greater sense of security and confidence, he said.
“People want to be able to change outcomes, and they can only do that if they have the insights from the data … but in every instance, at home, at work or at play, that data needs to be secure,” he said.
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