Quantum secure encryption

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Please can someone explain the assertion in the post subject.
Is Automomi quantum proof or quantum encrypted?

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Quantum resistant. There is no quantum encryption as we’d all have to have quantum computers! :wink:

There maybe some aspects that are quantum proof as well. The difference being that quantum resistant isn’t absolute in the sense that maths may alter things down the road. Whereas quantum proof means that it’s logically not doable.

I think some others here can explain this better than me - and correct me if I’m mistaken.

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Thank you @TylerAbeoJordan

ChatGPT offers:

  • Quantum-proof aka quantum-resistant, refers to cryptographic algorithms that are designed to be secure against attacks from quantum computers. Quantum-proof algorithms are not easily broken by quantum computers. They are designed to withstand the advanced computational power and techniques available to quantum systems.

  • Quantum-encrypted refers to the use of quantum mechanics principles to create cryptographic systems, particularly for secure communication. The most well-known application is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which leverages the properties of quantum particles to securely exchange encryption keys.

The question has arisen from a challenge to the Quantum wording on Autonomi docs

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If the wording in question is “Quantum secure encryption”, then they meant that the encryption used is quantum resistant. They do not mean that the encryption is itself quantum.

So, it could be worded more clearly.

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Asked ChatGPT to review the text, posted for information.
I would appreciate someone more knowledgeable that I or ChatGPT for that matter [ahem @dirvine ] to clarify / improve.

Quantum computing Self-Encrypted data is considered 'quantum secure’, meaning that it cannot currently be defeated by a brute force attack, even with a quantum computer. On top of that, the volume of encrypted packets means that there could only be targeted attempts at decryption, and decentralization makes such targeting difficult.

Review of the Assertion from the MAIDSAFE Network

The MAIDSAFE network makes two key assertions about the security of its self-encrypted data in the context of quantum computing:

  1. Self-Encrypted Data is Quantum Secure
  2. Decentralization and Volume of Encrypted Packets

Let’s review each assertion in detail.

Assertion 1: Self-Encrypted Data is Quantum Secure

Claim: Self-encrypted data cannot currently be defeated by a brute force attack, even with a quantum computer.

Analysis:

  • Quantum Computers and Brute Force Attacks: Quantum computers can significantly speed up brute force attacks using Grover’s algorithm, which provides a quadratic speedup over classical brute force methods. This means that if a classical brute force attack requires 2n2^n2n operations, a quantum brute force attack would require approximately 2n/22^{n/2}2n/2 operations. Therefore, symmetric encryption algorithms need to have at least double the key length to remain secure against quantum attacks (e.g., AES-256 instead of AES-128).
  • Self-Encryption: Self-encryption typically refers to a method where data is encrypted in a manner that each piece of data encrypts itself, often involving unique keys for each piece of data. If the self-encryption method uses robust, quantum-resistant symmetric encryption (like AES-256), it can be considered secure against quantum brute force attacks.
  • Current Security: The term “quantum secure” generally implies that the encryption is resistant to known quantum attacks. If MAIDSAFE’s self-encryption uses sufficiently strong symmetric encryption algorithms and ensures the keys are managed securely, then it can be reasonably asserted that the data is currently resistant to brute force attacks, even by quantum computers.

Conclusion:

The assertion that self-encrypted data is “quantum secure” holds if the encryption algorithm used is resistant to quantum attacks (like AES-256). This is a plausible claim under the assumption that proper encryption practices are followed.

Assertion 2: Volume of Encrypted Packets and Decentralization

Claim: The volume of encrypted packets means that there could only be targeted attempts at decryption, and decentralization makes such targeting difficult.

Analysis:

  • Volume of Encrypted Packets: The statement suggests that the large number of encrypted packets makes it impractical to attempt decryption on a large scale. This is a valid point because the computational resources required to decrypt a vast number of packets, even with a quantum computer, are immense.
  • Targeted Decryption: Given the computational limitations, adversaries might focus on targeted decryption of specific high-value data rather than attempting to decrypt everything.
  • Decentralization: Decentralization complicates targeted attacks because data is spread across many nodes, each holding only a small piece of the overall dataset. To successfully decrypt useful data, an attacker would need to:
    1. Identify the specific packets of interest.
    2. Locate all the pieces across the decentralized network.
    3. Successfully decrypt each piece, which may involve separate encryption keys.
  • Security Implications: Decentralization increases security by making it difficult for an attacker to gather and decrypt all necessary pieces of data. It also means there is no single point of failure.

Conclusion:

The volume of encrypted packets and the decentralization of data make targeted decryption attempts significantly more challenging. This assertion is supported by the principles of data distribution and the inherent complexity of coordinating a successful attack on a decentralized system.

Overall Conclusion

The assertions made by the MAIDSAFE network regarding the quantum security of their self-encrypted data and the difficulty of targeted decryption in a decentralized network are largely reasonable and grounded in current cryptographic understanding. Here are the key takeaways:

  1. Quantum Security: If self-encryption employs quantum-resistant algorithms (like AES-256), the data can be considered secure against quantum brute force attacks.
  2. Decentralization and Volume: The decentralized nature of the network and the large volume of encrypted packets indeed add significant hurdles to any potential targeted decryption attempts, enhancing overall security.
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The problem was never AES-256 or any symmetric encryption, that’s a given.

The weakness relies on asymmetric encryption.

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I believe @mav has most knowledge about encryption. Care to share some thoughts on Quantum Encryption ? :innocent:

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