NIST's Quantum Breakthrough: Single Photons Produced on a Chip

"NIST has developed a chip that reliably emits a single photon on demand. This ability will improve the efficiency of QKD (quantum key distribution) as we prepare for the arrival of quantum computers. Quantum computers will upend current cryptology by using Shor's algorithm to rapidly negate the current public/private key secure encryption methods. This has largely been solved by NIST's post quantum cryptology (PQC) algorithms."

"Knowledge of this future is driving the 'harvest now, decrypt later' spate of data exfiltration - companies may not even know their encrypted data has been stolen. But adversaries, including, if not primarily, nation state adversaries, are storing that data knowing they will be able to decrypt it in the future; and who knows how many vital secrets may be within it?"

"Various new mathematical approaches have been developed for PQC, but while they may be theoretically secure, they are not provably secure (what can be made by math can be unmade by math given enough compute power, and what is sent over traditional channels can be silently intercepted). Ultimately, the only provably secure key distribution must be based on physics rather than math."

An engineered chip can reliably emit a single photon on demand, enabling more efficient quantum key distribution (QKD). Quantum computers will break current public/private key cryptography using algorithms like Shor's, driving adversaries to harvest encrypted data now for future decryption. NIST has developed post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms, but mathematical schemes lack provable security against future breakthroughs or silent interception. Physics-based key distribution using single photons provides provable security because quantum measurements disturb particles, revealing interception. Organizations must adopt quantum-resistant protections and consider QKD deployment to protect sensitive data against present and future quantum decryption threats.

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