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Hackers Eavesdrop On Quantum Crypto With Lasers

Posted by timothy on from the wool-over-your-own-eyes dept.

Martin Hellman writes "According to an article in Nature magazine, quantum hackers have performed the first 'invisible' attack on two commercial quantum cryptographic systems. By using lasers on the systems — which use quantum states of light to encrypt information for transmission —' they have fully cracked their encryption keys, yet left no trace of the hack.'"

9 of 161 comments (clear)

  1. So OK... by hyades1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...maybe they've cracked it in this universe, but what about all the others?

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    1. Re:So OK... by thijsh · · Score: 3, Funny

      I would take a look, but I'm too afraid I'll kill the cat... And you all know how much Slashdot-geeks love that inter-dimensional pussy.

  2. A new name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Quantum hackers?

    Quackers!

  3. Quantum is for Quacks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is what you get when even educated men can't make sense of your technology.

    Pretty obvious now we need to return to traditional cryptosystems such as rot13 etc.
    Arguably not the most secure, but it is efficient. And for military use, where security
    requirements are higher, triple-rot13 is an option.

  4. Re:not really that bad by DrXym · · Score: 2, Funny
    "And anyway, according to the article, they've already figured out a way to detect the hack and defeat it, so it's still pretty solid."

    if (continuousLaserBeam) hack = true;

  5. alice and bob by brainscauseminds · · Score: 4, Funny

    Poor Alice and Bob, they do not have a chance ever to live normal lives without hordes of geeky cryptographers debating/fighting over every bloody bit they exchange.

  6. Obligatory by ewhenn · · Score: 1, Funny

    There is a crack, a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.

  7. no trace by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    'they have fully cracked their encryption keys, yet left no trace of the hack.'

    It is only because nobody recognized the couple of fins lying around as evidence.

  8. Tank by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Unfortunately, not everyone has the space required for an aquarium to contain the sharks with those fricken lasers.