A $600 Desktop Quantum Computer That Breaks Encryption. Wow or Woof?
February 17, 2020
DarkCyber spotted a remarkable claim. A fellow named Dan Gleason, created a portable quantum computer. The idea is that this computing system can hack passwords and maybe cyber security protocols.
The Assertion
The information appeared in an article in BetaNews. “The $600 Quantum Computer That Could Spell the End for Conventional Encryption” reports as actual factual:
Using easily available parts costing just $600…, QUBY runs recently open-sourced quantum algorithms capable of executing within a quantum emulator that can perform cryptographic cracking algorithms. Calculations that would have otherwise taken years on conventional computers are now performed in seconds on QUBY.
Sounds good, almost like a folding mobile phone from Motorola or Samsung, the marketing collateral from an enterprise search vendor like Coveo or LucidWorks, or the breathless assurances of Weaviate. (Dare I say Google or Watson?)
The Team
Greg Morrell, Founder and President, Active Cypher. Formerly president of Amtec Technologies, a management and capital placement limited liability company, and before that a vice president of development at LNR Property Corp. More information about the company appears in an ETS article.
“Dan Gleason is the chief architect and product developer of Active Cyper’s file level security solution. His special skills are in bring elegant solutions to complex problems.” Source: Active Cypher DarkCyber believes that a $600 portable quantum computer is a complex challenge but with many, many problems to solve. Mr. Gleason, according to Active Cypher’s Web site, possesses “special expertise.” This is “in all Microsoft products and programs.” The “all” is interesting.
Caspian Tavallali is the chief operating officer for Active Cypher. He worked in the office of the chairman at the Parman Capital Group. Previously he worked on an MBA at IE Business School in Madrid.
Mike Quinn, Chief Strategy Officer, Active Cypher. Mr. Quinn worked at Citadel Consulting and previously at Microsoft as “Partner” and General Manager of the Enterprise Cyber Security Group. He also worked at Cisco Systems in “services”.
The teams does not appear deeply steeped in the technology of quantum computing in use at Google, IBM, and other firms able to afford the research, demonstrations, and systems.
What’s the business model for the open source infused portable quantum computer? Here’s the answer according to Mr. Gleason:
In response to the threat, Active Cypher has developed advanced dynamic cyphering encryption that is built to be quantum resilient. Gleason explains that, “Our encryption is not based on solving a mathematical problem. It’s based on a very large, random key which is used in creating the obfuscated cyphertext, without any key information within the cyphertext, and is thus impossible to be derived through prime factorization — traditional brute force attempts which use the cyphertext to extract key information from patterns derived from the key material.”
Ah, ha. License the company’s dynamic ciphering encryption!
Additional Information
More detail about the company’s encryption innovations appears in “Maintaining a Zero-Trust Security Model.” That document references quantum in the context of “quantum resilient.” The idea is that the firm’s approach will not be breakable by quantum computer technology directed at decryption or similar functions. There’s no reference to a portable $600 quantum computer. DarkCyber finds this interesting since the white paper was updated in February 2020. (Amazon has a number of patents related to its zero trust systems and methods. Some of these are reviewed in our Amazon Blockchain white paper. You can request a free summary at this link.)
Who is buying into this concept? The write up suggests that Microsoft is curious and attendees at the RSA Conference (if it is held) will be able to check out the device. The algorithms will take more time to analyze unless one has access to Google’s or IBM’s quantum systems.
Observations
A few observations seem to be in order:
- What comprises a quantum computer? Hand crafted hardware from IBM or systems from DWave?
- Are there programming languages for the portable quantum computer?
- How are the “instabilities” associated with quantum demonstrations resolved?
- How was Mr. Gleason able to create a “$600” quantum computer when the cost of Google’s DWave gizmos such down money in seven figure gulps.
Net Net
If true the $600 quantum computer is “real,” Mr. Gleason will be the Marc Zukerberg – Sergey Brin – Steve Jobs of quantum computing. If not true, Mr. Gleason will be well positioned to work as a social media PR expert.
For now, DarkCyber will sit on the quantum fence. Why? The DWave quantum computer costs about $15 million. DarkCyber is not sure if this includes the cost of staff, refrigeration equipment, and maintenance.
But $600. Almost sci-fi made real in the actual factual world.
Stephen E Arnold, February 17, 2020
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