US officials and scientists have begun laying the groundwork for a more secure “virtually unhackable” internet based on quantum computing technology.
At a presentation Thursday, Department of Energy (DOE) officials issued a report that lays out a blueprint strategy for the development of a national quantum internet, using laws of quantum mechanics to transmit information more securely than on existing networks.
The agency is working with universities and industry researchers on the engineering for the initiative with the aim of creating a prototype within a decade.
In February, scientists from DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago created a 52-mile (83-kilometer) “quantum loop” in the Chicago suburbs, establishing one of the longest land-based quantum networks in the nation.
The aim is to create a parallel, more secure network based on quantum “entanglement,” or the transmission of sub-atomic particles.
“One of the hallmarks of quantum transmissions is that they are exceedingly difficult to eavesdrop on as information passes between locations,” according to the Energy Department statement. “Scientists plan to use that trait to make virtually unhackable networks.”
The department said early adopters could include the banking and health services sectors, adding that there would be applications for national security and aircraft communications.
“Eventually, the use of quantum networking technology in mobile phones could have broad impacts on the lives of individuals around the world,” the statement added.
The agency’s 17 national laboratories will serve as the backbone of the coming quantum internet, which has initial government funding.
“The foundation of quantum networks rests on our ability to precisely synthesize and manipulate matter at the atomic scale, including the control of single photons,” said David Awschalom, a professor at the University of Chicago and senior scientist at Argonne National Laboratory.

More from AFP
- US State Department Says 60,000 Emails Taken in Alleged Chinese Hack
- UK Minister Warns Meta Over End-to-End Encryption
- ‘Cybersecurity Incident’ Hits ICC
- China Says No Law Banning iPhone Use in Govt Agencies
- Spies, Hackers, Informants: How China Snoops on the West
- Meta Fights Sprawling Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ Operation
- Two Men Arrested Following Poland Railway Hacking
- UK Court Concludes Teenager Behind Huge Hacking Campaign
Latest News
- Motel One Discloses Ransomware Attack Impacting Customer Data
- Android’s October 2023 Security Updates Patch Two Exploited Vulnerabilities
- Cybersecurity M&A Roundup: 28 Deals Announced in September 2023
- Companies Address Impact of Exploited Libwebp Vulnerability
- Live Exploitation Underscores Urgency to Patch Critical WS-FTP Server Flaw
- European Telecommunications Standards Institute Discloses Data Breach
- Number of Internet-Exposed ICS Drops Below 100,000: Report
- Johnson Controls Ransomware Attack Could Impact DHS
