Quantum crypto cracked, researchers say

Researchers at Norwegian and German institutes claim to have successfully cracked the quantum cryptography equipment used to cloak highly sensitive communications by banks and defense agencies.

The researchers said they had remotely controlled the photon detectors used in commercially available photodiode quantum cryptography systems. This allowed them to eavesdrop on communications, the researchers said.

"The security of quantum cryptography relies on quantum physics but not only [on that]...It must also be properly implemented," said Gerd Leuchs of the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg in a statement Sunday (PDF). "This fact was often overlooked in the past."

Read more of "Quantum crypto detectors cracked by researchers" at ZDNet UK.