Focus on data security in the future
In the VerQueRD research project, DATEV is analysing encryption in the quantum age.
The recently launched VerQueRD research project is investigating how the possibilities of quantum computing will affect data security. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS and infoteam Software AG, DATEV eG is analysing the specific impact of the ongoing development of quantum computing hardware on today's encryption methods. The aim of the project, which is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, is to assess the emerging risks and derive recommendations for action for data security in the future. To this end, the project team is focusing on the development of innovative methodological approaches, the critical evaluation of existing procedures and practical experiments on real quantum computers.
The acronym of the project name stands for „Verschlüsselung brechen mittels Quanten-Reduktions- und Dekompositionsmethoden“ (in English: ‘Breaking encryption using quantum reduction and decomposition methods’). In addition to understanding which methods can be used to circumvent common encryption methods, the main aim is to assess when this threat could become a real danger. To this end, the project partners are investigating, among other things, the possibilities of current quantum computers that are not yet powerful enough (NISQ technologies) in accelerating prime factorisation. The difficulty of this is essential for the cryptographic methods used today. Put simply, they are largely based on the phenomenon that multiplying prime numbers is easy, meaning that a cryptic key can be generated quickly. The inverse function that must be calculated to break the encryption, on the other hand, is a highly complex mathematical task.
The project partners will therefore systematically analyse the applicability of modern quantum and quantum-inspired algorithms to this problem. A particular focus will be on the use of various reduction methods, especially quantum circuit decomposition. One advantage is that the team can build on research results that have already been achieved. DATEV has already successfully collaborated with Fraunhofer IIS on the project ‘Quantum-enabling Services and Tools for Industrial Applications’ – QuaST for short. Here, reduction and decomposition methods were developed to split large problems on quantum computers into smaller ones, solve them and scale them back. These results now provide an excellent basis for addressing the current issues.
