You can carry on shopping online…
At the beginning of the year I ran a short story on some Chinese research that said it had taken a step towards breaking the encryption we all depend on the use the internet and electronic communications securely:
Breaking encryption – Smart Thinking Solutions
However since then there has been push back about the research, including from a professor at Napier University, where I studied cyber security:
Cargo Cult Quantum Factoring (scottaaronson.blog)
It seems the Chinese paper is based on another paper that the author had withdrawn.
It seems not all research is equal! However anything that undermines our trust in the current state of encryption is not a good thing and plays right into the hands of those that would exploit that mistrust for personal profit or political gain.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
