Recent claims from researchers at Shanghai University that quantum computing has broken RSA encryption made waves in the tech community. However, according to popular tech YouTuber Mental Outlaw, the breakthrough in China falls far short of impacting modern encryption standards due to various limitations in both computation and hardware.
Quantum Computers vs. Classical Computers: What’s the Reality?
The research paper details how the quantum computer used in the experiment factorized the integer 2,269,753. While this surpassed past achievements by other quantum computers, it still doesn’t come close to records set by classical computers. Mental Outlaw explained that this quantum machine only managed to break a 22-bit key, whereas classical computers have broken much larger keys—like an 892-bit key, which took 2,700 physical core years to crack.
To provide more context, early RSA encryption used 512-bit keys, while modern standards, adopted around 2015, typically range between 2,048 and 4,096 bits. This makes the recent breakthrough relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of encryption security.
Physical and Computational Limitations of Quantum Computing
Mental Outlaw pointed out a major issue with quantum computing: the physical constraints required for their operation. Quantum bits, or qubits, must be kept at extremely cold temperatures—between -200°C and -270°C—to remain stable enough to process information. This requires extensive cooling infrastructure, adding significant complexity to their operation.
Additionally, a large portion of quantum computing power is used for error correction, meaning much of the processing power goes toward fixing potential mistakes rather than solving actual problems. This further limits the capacity of current quantum computers to challenge robust encryption methods like RSA.
Quantum Computing and the Future of Encryption
Despite the current limitations, Mental Outlaw acknowledged that advancements in quantum technology are moving quickly. While today’s quantum computers don’t pose a real threat to modern encryption, this could change in the future as the technology continues to evolve faster than anticipated.
