Scientists Demonstrate “Unbreakable” Encryption

By Greg McNevin

October 10, 2008: Scientists in the European Union have shown off a new and apparently unhackable encryption system, paving the way for government agencies, financial institutions or companies with distributed subsidiaries to encrypt communications without fear of security breaches.

Developed by the EU's Development of a Global Network for Secure Communication based on Quantum Cryptography (SECOQC), the new “unbreakable” encryption system was successfully demonstrated in Vienna earlier this week, and could be commercialised for use on existing fiberoptic networks within three years.

Based on quantum cryptography, the technology uses regular fiberoptic networks to transmit encrypted data as streams of photons. SECOQC says this makes the solution virtually impregnable, as any interference is detected immediately and destroys the data being spied on.

“Classic keys can be hacked by supercomputers, but not in this case,” said Anton Zeilinger, a quantum physicist at the Vienna University.

Under the law of quantum physics, photons change their state if they are measured in any way. For that reason, an eavesdropper listening in from outside would disturb the encoding system.

Until now, quantum cryptography had been achieved only between two points. The network in Vienna, however, involved six participants, marking a significant leap forward for the technology.

Sponsored by the EU, the €11.4 (AU$22) million SECOQC project is the result of four and a half-years of work by partners in 12 countries.

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