LG Partners With IBM’s Quantum Network - But What About The Security?

Back in January, LG Electronics announced that it had joined forces with IBM - specifically the IBM Quantum Network. The two electronics giants will be working closely together to explore some of the applications of quantum technology, and could lead to some revolutionary innovations - is this partnership all good news, though? 

What does this partnership mean?

The partnership was announced on the 10th of January 2022, and LG is just the latest company to join the network. The IBM Quantum Network is made up of more than 180 Fortune 500 companies, universities, laboratories and start-ups, from a variety of sectors and industries - including Capgemini, Goldman Sachs, and The University of Tokyo. These organisations collaborate and work on researching new technologies and applications, using IBM’s most powerful quantum computing systems to aid them.

IBM has been getting more involved with quantum technology in recent years. In fact, in May 2022, the CEO of IBM, Arvind Krishna, revealed the company was developing a quantum computer with more than 4,000 qubits by 2025. Qubits are what make these computers so powerful. Short for quantum bits, they’re different to the bits in traditional computers. They can be either a one or a zero, but a qubit can be both at the same time - allowing a quantum computer to quickly solve complex calculations. To put things into perspective, IBM’s largest quantum processor, Eagle, currently has 127 qubits. The company’s also planning on making them more widely available, and selling thousands of quantum computers by 2025.

What are the benefits?

When the partnership was first announced, Byoung-Hoon Kim, the CTO and Executive Vice President of LG, explained, “We plan to use IBM Quantum to develop our competency in quantum computing. We aim to provide customers with value that they have not experienced so far by leveraging quantum computing technology in future businesses." By teaming up with IBM, LG will be able to reap the benefits of quantum computers without having to spend time and money developing their own. Quantum computers are of particular interest to companies in the electronics sector, as it could help lead to advances in fields like artificial intelligence, IoT (Internet of Things), big data, robotics, and more.

All of these, however, would require processing large amounts of data, which quantum computers can help with. They’re faster and more efficient, and can perform calculations in minutes, whereas the same calculations might take a traditional computer months - or maybe even years - to solve. LG’s goal for the partnership is to be able to use the IBM Quantum Network to investigate potential breakthroughs that would benefit them in the future. The boost from quantum computers could speed up the development of new prototypes, and even reduce costs. 

Are there any risks?

You won’t be surprised to find out that there are risks involved, just as there are with most technologies out there. The widespread use of quantum computers would give people more computing power, helping to increase cybersecurity, but that same leap in processing power would also potentially open people (and businesses) up to more hacks and cyber attacks. A quantum computer would be able to quickly and easily break through all of the most secure encryption methods that we use today, including PKI (public key infrastructure). 

Most quantum computers are locked away in laboratories. But IBM’s Quantum Network is a sign that this won’t always be the case. As more people gain access to this technology, it’s only a matter of time before cyber criminals and gangs start to use them, and once they do they’ll be able to break any encryption, and gain access to anyone’s data. Experts have been warning us about this for years. The danger’s always been thought of as years away, but now it’s getting closer. In fact, last year Andrew Lord, Senior Manager of Optical Research at BT, said that national critical infrastructure, governments, and even the internet itself could be threatened by quantum computers as early as 2024.

What can be done?

It’s important for companies - and especially huge multinational corporations like LG and IBM - to make sure that the proper cybersecurity measures are in place. If they’re not, then they’ll be putting their own data and everyone else’s at risk. Luckily, there are already companies working to prepare us for this quantum threat. While quantum technology might be the reason for this threat, it could also be the best way to keep our data safe - some companies are working to combine quantum technology with some of the most secure encryption methods.

One of these firms is Arqit Quantum, and if you follow the news about quantum technology, you might have already heard about it. Its solution, QuantumCloud, uses quantum technology to create symmetric encryption keys. They’re shared between authenticated devices, ensuring that only the intended recipient can access whatever data has been encrypted. They’re already working with several companies from around the world, including Verizon and BT, so hopefully other large companies follow in their footsteps.

Of course, you might decide that the danger’s still years away and it’s best to wait, but if you do that, you might be leaving it too late. Quantum computing has dozens of benefits, and the potential to revolutionise every industry, but it’s also the only way of keeping your information safe from hackers, and shouldn’t be ignored.