What is Quantum Computer Security?

Abstract

Quantum computing is rapidly emerging as one of the most transformative technologies of our time. With the potential to tackle problems that remain intractable for even the most powerful classical supercomputers, quantum hardware has advanced at an extraordinary pace. Today, major platforms such as IBM Quantum, Amazon Braket, and Microsoft Azure provide cloud-based access to quantum processors, making them more widely available than ever before. While a promising technology, quantum computing is not magically immune to security threats. Much research has been done on post-quantum cryptography, which addresses how to protect classical computers from attackers using quantum computers. This article meanwhile introduces the dual idea of quantum computer security: how to protect quantum computers from security attacks.