Quantum computers can break major encryption method, researchers claim

It has long been known that one day quantum computers will probably be able to crack the RSA encryption method we use to keep data safe, but a team of researchers is now claiming it is already possible, while others say the results require more scrutiny

By Matthew Sparkes

A group of researchers has claimed that quantum computers can now crack the encryption we use to protect emails, bank accounts and other sensitive data. Although this has long been a theoretical possibility, existing quantum computers weren’t yet thought to be powerful enough to threaten encryption.

However, security experts have expressed doubt about the new claim, saying that although the code-breaking technique appears valid, there is no reason to expect it could crack encrypted data in a practical timescale or that current quantum hardware …