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'Blind' Quantum Computing Proposed For the Cloud

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-relation-to-reality dept.

judgecorp writes "Researchers at Vienna's Quantum Science and Technology Center have proposed that 'blind' quantum computing could be carried out securely in the cloud. When (if?) quantum computers are developed, they will be very fast, but not everyone will have them. Blind quantum computing will be useful, because it shows that users can encode 'qubits' and send them to a shared quantum computer to be worked on — without the quantum computer having any knowledge of what the data is (abstract). The data also cannot be decoded form the qubit while it is in transit. It's good to know that quantum computers will be secure when they exist. At the moment, of course, they are even more secure, by virtue of their non-existence."

19 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. quantum hype by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Quantum computing is just a rather basic branch of computer science which seems to be winning all the hype in the world at the moment because there's not much sexy in terms of hard non-biological research with a practical slant.

    I'm not quite sure how the output remains unknown to the computer. I know most cloud services either haven't or won't last long enough to give you all the output you were expecting to get for free/absurdly low cost, but I'd be very impressed with a computing system which is able to deliver you something without knowing it's delivered it.

    Of course, there are various computations which can be performed partly by a separate processor without the initial input and final output being known by that separate processor, but there's nothing quantum-y about that.

    1. Re:quantum hype by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      As a physicist working in the field, let me correct two things:
      Quantum computing is not a branch of computer science; it is not logic and mathematics. It is a branch of physics. It is also why you find it hard to believe that both the input and output is unknown to the quantum computer.

      @OP: They do exists, just not in stores yet, a natural result of having unsatisfactory shape.. Try paying a visit to a QC laboratory.

    2. Re:quantum hype by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      As a mathematician not working in the field, let me point out that any AC saying "as a X working in the field" probably deserves to have the rest of his post ignored.

      Anyway, the production of quantum algorithms is a routine computer science problem. And the building of a quantum computer is an engineering problem. I'm not really sure what great contribution physics per se is making to quantum computing, i.e. what new science is being discovered and applied to quantum computers, but perhaps you'll enlighten us.

      I know that the output is known because otherwise it couldn't be converted to classical form for sending across the 'net to the customer.

    3. Re:quantum hype by m50d · · Score: 2
      One of the interesting things about quantum computing is that it's fundamentally impossible to copy a qbit (hmm, wait until hollywood hears about that). So the cloud service really couldn't have logged what it sent back to you before it sent it.

      More to the point, I suspect this proposal works by sending entangled qbits into the service, keeping the corresponding pairs, and getting back something that can only be turned into your answer by combining it with what you kept. This isn't the same as what you're talking about - the client literally just stores a set of bits and combines them at the end, like an xor. So it's like that story from a few months ago with an encrypted database that could run queries on its data without decrypting it, but better in that a) it works for free, for any computation, you don't have to design your database for it b) it's quantum encryption and thus provably unbreakable

      --
      I am trolling
    4. Re:quantum hype by marcosdumay · · Score: 3, Interesting

      There are some keywords at TFA that give a hint. The computer is "measurement based", what I'll understand as "the computer only does measurements", also, "without knowing the original states, nobody can decode the output".

      Turns out that are infinite ways (normaly over a finite continuum space) to encode your original bits, and if your computer only does measurements, the answer will be encoded the same way you encoded the data. If the computer operators don't know your encoding, they won't be able to read your data.

      The hard thing is getting those phothons already encoded through the world into the computer, and getting the results back. Also, the above assumes that you can't discover the encoding, but it doesn't survive known plaintext attacks.

      --
      Rethinking email
  2. Why would we send them by atari2600a · · Score: 2

    If we were doing in this in a pre-quantum-minicomputer era wouldn't it be easier to just entangle the qubits you need first & use quantum teleportation? I mean, I'm no physicist...

  3. Say what? by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    I'd run TFA through babelfish if I could work out what language it's supposed to be.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  4. Blah blah by qqe0312 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I work in this line physics, which is really a lot of fun. But: The idea that a practical quantum computer will be around in the foreseeable future is jus plain silly. To worry how such a device would be integrated with the cloud is just absolutely bonkers. What a waste of time this all is.

    1. Re:Blah blah by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Funny

      What a waste of time this all is.

      Yoda ... is that you?

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  5. Whoa..quantum computer + Cloud! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Must resist...want to invest...

  6. We will get quantum computing... by wbr1 · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...the same time we get the following:
    • Cold Fusion
    • Flying Cars
    • World Peace
    • Intelligent Patent and Copyright laws
    • An end to hunger
    • A manned mission to Mars
    • Hell, a manned mission to anywhere beyond LEO
    • When samsaric existence ends and everyone attains Buddahood
    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
    1. Re:We will get quantum computing... by tiffany352 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't forget Half-Life 3.

  7. Mainframe by Chemisor · · Score: 2

    Those who do not understand mainframes are bound to reinvent them. Poorly.

  8. Hey guys! by neurogeneticist · · Score: 2

    I really think we should come up with a team to figure out how in-home cold fusion reactors can be integrated into the existing power grid. This is a pressing issue, and I know if we work together we can achieve seamless integration. How's 6pm on Thursday sound?

  9. What's a heaven for? by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    We WILL get Half-Life three.

    A man's reach must exceed his grasp. Damn it man, we'll not only get it, we'll have a Hurd port of it! And people will abandon their Linux desktops in droves for it.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  10. Quantum Computing Security by hackus · · Score: 2

    I like this quote: "It's good to know that quantum computers will be secure when they exist."

    Gotta love slashdot, ya know.

    First of all, if we ever get a real working quantum computer...and that is a gigantic _IF_ in caps, you can rest assured that someone will break it.

    I would be very surprised if it couldn't be cracked.

    -Hack

    --
    Got Geometrodynamics? Awe, too hard to figure out? Too bad.
    1. Re:Quantum Computing Security by marcosdumay · · Score: 2

      There are real working quantum computers out there. They are just not powerfull enough to be usefull.

      Also, "secure" on the phrase you quote has a completely different meaning from what you use on your comment.

      --
      Rethinking email
  11. Definitely "if".... by gweihir · · Score: 2

    Currently there is no reliable indication that a) quantum computers of sizes that perform better than traditional computers are feasible engineering-wise and b) that the physics holds up.

    While Quantum computing certainly has captured hearts and minds, at this time it is merely a dream, and one that quite likely will not come true. Incidentally, many experts in the field admit this, but not publicly as that would jeopardize their funding.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  12. Quantum computers... by internet-redstar · · Score: 2

    Quantum computers... will probably work.
    But I guess I'll stick with certainty...