At a time when spyware like Pegasus can infect almost any device or software, data breaches are a major concern. To secure the future of computing in the country, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working on a new project — Satellite-based quantum communication technology.
What Makes Quantum Communication Secure Against Hacking?
Quantum communication employs a type of encryption known as quantum cryptography, which is impervious to hackers. This form of encryption enhances end-to-end security, notifying users if their information is being compromised.
In fact, the Indian space agency recently showcased its project, the satellite-based quantum communication technique, at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2023. Speaking to News18.com, a delegate from ISRO’s IMC team emphasized on the importance of safeguarding regular communication with complex codes.
According to the expert, when powerful quantum computers become common, old security methods might not work. To address this challenge, the Indian space agency is using a new technique called quantum key distribution. “We need a system capable of countering quantum computers, so we are implementing quantum key distribution."
This method generates highly secure and random secret codes. With these codes, regular communication can be made exceptionally secure, so nobody can hack that.
In fact, ISRO, last month, successfully demonstrated free-space Quantum Communication over a distance of 300 meter. The demonstration included live video-conferencing using quantum-key-encrypted signals.
This is a major milestone achievement for unconditionally secured satellite data communication using quantum technologies.
According to ISRO, the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology underpins Quantum Communication technology that ensures unconditional data security by virtue of the principles of quantum mechanics, which is not possible with the conventional encryption systems.
“The conventional cryptosystems used for data-encryption rely on the complexity of mathematical algorithms, whereas the security offered by quantum communication is based on the laws of Physics. Therefore, quantum cryptography is considered as ‘future-proof’, since no future advancements in the computational power can break quantum-cryptosystem," ISRO explained.
