In response to the escalating risks to data security posed by the widespread adoption of cloud storage, Chinese researchers at QuantumCTek Co., a self-described quantum information technology firm, have devised an innovative approach by integrating quantum physics into cybersecurity.
As cloud storage becomes increasingly prevalent, the vulnerabilities associated with data security have prompted cybersecurity experts to explore distributed cloud storage as a potential solution. QuantumCTek’s team has leveraged quantum random numbers as encryption keys to fortify cloud-stored information.
Recognizing the susceptibility of these keys to quantum computers, the researchers have combined Shamir’s secret sharing, a key distribution algorithm, with quantum key distribution (QKD) algorithms to disperse the keys.
Shamir’s secret sharing is employed to distribute private information selectively, requiring collaboration among a group of individuals to reveal the concealed data. The team has enhanced this method by incorporating erasure coding within ciphertext before transmitting data through QKD algorithms.
Erasure coding involves dividing data into multiple fragments and parity blocks for recovery, offering both quantum security and improved fault tolerance. This additional step not only ensures quantum security but also optimizes storage efficiency, contributing to a cost-effective approach.
“In essence, our solution is quantum-secure and serves as a practical application of the fusion between quantum and cryptography technologies,” said Yong Zhao, vice president of QuantumCTek Co. Ltd., in the press release. “QKD-generated keys secure both user data uploads to servers and data transmissions to dispersed cloud storage nodes.”
Yong Zhao, Vice President of QuantumCTek Co. Ltd., emphasizes the quantum-secure nature of their solution, asserting its practical application as a fusion of quantum and cryptographic technologies. The implementation of QKD-generated keys not only secures user data uploads to servers but also safeguards data transmissions to dispersed cloud storage nodes. The researchers have explored the extension of this approach beyond data transmission, successfully applying quantum security to data storage.
“It not only achieves quantum security but also saves storage space when compared to traditional mirroring methods or ones based on Shamir’s secret sharing, which is commonly used for distributed management of sensitive data,” Zhao added.
The solution underwent rigorous testing, including encryption/decryption, critical preservation, and data storage evaluations, proving its efficacy. Zhao highlights that the quantum-secure solution not only outperforms traditional mirroring methods or those based on Shamir’s secret sharing in terms of security but also achieves significant savings in storage space.
Crucially, the proposed solution meets both technological and engineering standards, providing a robust defense against the imminent challenges posed by quantum computing, which has the potential to breach even the most secure destinations at speeds far surpassing current capabilities. In the face of the rapid advancement of quantum computers, the need for a quantum-age cybersecurity solution is deemed more vital than ever.