Quantum computing poses a threat to encryption that keeps computer chips secure. A new bootloader has introduced technology that will make chips quantum-proof.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has made the world a more efficient place. However, in many ways, it has also made the world more vulnerable.
Every component that makes up the IoT – from smart watches to smart thermostats and smart doorbells — has a computer chip that empowers it. The chips run programs, gather data, and often connect those items to a vast network of other computers. If the security of those chips is compromised, hackers can gain access to a wide variety of personal, sensitive, and valuable information.
Encryption is the tool relied upon to keep the IoT, as well as more traditional computer systems, secure. However, Y2Q is about to make today’s encryption obsolete. To address this issue, a new bootloader has been developed to make all computer chips unhackable.
The countdown to Y2Q
Y2Q, which stands for “years to quantum,” represents the date at which advances in quantum computing will result in computers with the processing power to break today’s encryption systems. Initially, experts set 2030 as the date for Y2Q. However, recent advances in quantum technologies have accelerated the timeline.
Security experts have been working on new encryption protocols that can withstand the types of attacks that quantum computers empower. One of the challenges, however, is to provide effective security without requiring quantum-level computing power.
Securing the IoT against quantum-empowered attacks is especially challenging. Many IoT devices operate on minimal computing power to reduce their size and energy needs. Securing them requires quantum-proof solutions that can function without significant processing requirements.
The innovative new bootloader
A bootloader is a computer component that activates when the device is started. During the startup process — also known as booting — the bootloader loads the operating system into the main memory. Hacking the bootloading process allows bad actors to access a computer system before the operating system’s security measures are activated. To thwart those attacks, bootloaders rely on encryption to ensure that the correct operating system is loaded.
To respond to the heightened security threats posed by Y2Q, experts have developed a revolutionary new bootloading technology that draws upon the latest encryption innovations to prevent attacks on the boot process. The bootloader provides quantum-proof security without requiring significant resources.
A small, lightweight, post-quantum digital signature is one of the innovations that empowers the new bootloader. The smaller signature allows for faster verification, and the fact that it is lightweight means it requires less memory and less CPU usage for processing.
The bootloader also features quantum entropy services. This allows it to generate and distribute quantum random numbers for true random cryptographic keys. By providing an entropy source, the random numbers never repeat, and future numbers cannot be predicted.
By providing a system that requires minimal computing and memory resources, the bootloader opens the doors for IoT devices and embedded systems to become quantum-secure.
The growing need for quantum-proof security
In December 2022, the US government sounded the alarm on quantum security when President Joe Biden signed the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act. The new law calls for the federal government to update security protocols that can withstand quantum attacks. It states: “…the governmentwide and industrywide approach to post-quantum cryptography should prioritize developing applications, hardware intellectual property, and software that can be easily updated to support cryptographic agility.” The passage of the new law highlights the growing threat that quantum computing poses to the security of all digital devices. Today, any smart device represents a portal that hackers can leverage to access sensitive information. If the IoT is to remain a secure medium for innovation, it must be supported by quantum-proof encryption.
