Former Pentagon data chief warns US is under quantum threat from China

China is investing in artificial intelligence and quantum science as part of its plan to become an innovation superpower, according to the Pentagon's (U.S. Department of Defense) latest annual report to the U.S. Congress on China's military might.

David Spirk, the just-outgoing former chief data officer of the U.S. Department of Defense, has called on the Pentagon to make urgent investments to guard against potential espionage in quantum computers, an emerging technology that could one day undermine the encryption systems that protect U.S. secrets.

In his first interview since leaving office last month, David Spirk said the Pentagon needs to accelerate efforts to confront adversaries who are developing military tools powered by advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and, ultimately, quantum science.

It turns out that quantum computing may be able to solve mathematical problems exponentially faster than existing technologies. This could enable quantum computing developers to crack the algorithms underpinning cryptographic protocols, unlocking a range of sensitive data.

"I don't think there are enough senior leaders who understand what quantum means, like artificial intelligence, which is a new wave of computing, and when it arrives, it's going to be a very exciting one for both industry and government," Spirk said. Shocking moment. We have to pick up the pace because our competitors are trying to pick up the pace too."

Spirk's comments come amid warnings that U.S. adversaries, especially China, are aggressively pursuing advanced technologies that could radically accelerate the pace of modern warfare. China is investing in artificial intelligence and quantum science as part of its plan to become an innovative superpower, according to the Pentagon's latest annual report to the U.S. Congress on China's military might. "China is at or close to leading in many fields of science, including artificial intelligence and quantum," the report said.

David Spirk David Spirk

Meanwhile, the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) said last year that the adversarial use of quantum computers "could be devastating" for the United States and its national security systems. The NSA said it could take 20 years or more to introduce new post-quantum encryption technology that is resistant to such code-breaking.

Pentagon spokesman Tim Gorman said the Defense Department is taking post-quantum cryptography seriously and is coordinating with Congress and various government agencies. He added that "significant efforts" were underway.

A presidential memorandum in January further asked agencies to develop a timeline for transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption.

As part of a global competition to strengthen defenses against quantum-based attacks, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking to select a new quantum-proven encryption algorithm from seven finalists.

Jonathan Katz, a computer science professor at the University of Maryland who submitted a "post-quantum algorithm" to NIST, said the stakes for NIST's work were high: An algorithm that turned out to be fragile would be "a disaster." Once the choice is made, the DoD faces the monumental task of upgrading all software and hardware with algorithms, including not only servers and laptops, but also components of submarines, tanks, helicopters and weapons systems.

Experts generally agree that large-scale quantum computing could take 15 to 20 years to develop, but the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched a project in February to explore the possibility of developing a breakthrough "faster." Joe Altepeter, head of the project, said that there is a lot of "hype" in the industry about the arrival of quantum computing, but there are still several "hardware miracles" that need to be realized. Some of the brightest physicists he knows are divided on whether useful quantum computing will ever exist, Altepeter said, adding that the stakes are so great that developing resilient systems is important.

Spirk said the Pentagon needs to start preparing "now", arguing that military applications of quantum computing could be five to 10 years away. Specifically, the Pentagon needs to work at the same pace as commercial suppliers, which are already exploring ways to use quantum-resistant encryption to protect the financial and healthcare industries.

If the U.S. doesn't make the right investments in quantum-resistant today, Spirk said, "then our concepts of encryption, data security, and cybersecurity will become obsolete because computers will break our encryption." He added that adversaries have collected All encrypted data of the company will also be at risk of exposure.

Link:

https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2022/04/06/pentagons-outgoing-data-boss-warns-of-quantum-cyber-threats/