Securing Data in the Quantum Era

Angela Robinson explains the math behind the next generation of
cryptographic algorithms. Whenever you log in to a website, send an
email, or make an online purchase, you're counting on your data
being sent securely, without hackers being able to crack the code.
Our standard cryptographic systems hinge on mathematical problems
that stump present-day computers, like finding the prime factors of
a very large number. But in the coming decades, powerful quantum
computers are expected to be able to rapidly solve some such
problems, threatening the security of our online communications. To
develop new methods that can withstand even the most sophisticated
quantum computer, cryptographers are using a wide range of
mathematical tools, many of which were originally developed without
any real-life applications in mind.