Quantum Cryptography is supposedly unbreakable.  And it is now being used in a computer network in Vienna.  What is it, exactly?  Well:

“The basic idea of quantum cryptography was worked out 25 years ago by Charles Bennett of IBM and Gilles Brassard of Montreal University, who was in Vienna to see the network in action.

“All quantum security schemes are based on the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, on the fact that you cannot measure quantum information without disturbing it,” he explained.

“Because of that, one can have a communications channel between two users on which it’s impossible to eavesdrop without creating a disturbance. An eavesdropper would create a mark on it. That was the key idea.”"

The article is titled:

‘Unbreakable’ encryption unveiled

It’s on the BBC website.  Here is a link to the actual cle.

So, why does the top of the article have quotes around the word unbreakable?  Using quotes around a word like that means that you really actually doubt that the words are true.  For example, when I belch loudly and my wife says “That was ’sexy’, Kevin.”  Or when I say “I’ll be home around ‘10 PM’ honey,” when I go out with the guys, and she says “I won’t ‘change the locks’ if you’re late.”

Actually, I made that all up.  But the point is that those quotes are there because the author believes as I do that this security will eventually be broken.  It’s what we do as humans.   Somebody builds it, someone else tears it down so that it can be rebuilt stronger.  Somebody will always find a way to break it.  Even if it is as physically impossible as the article says.

Related posts:

1. 007: Quantum of Solace Not Impressing Me
2. 007: Quantum of Solace Might Be Pretty Good