Veronica Fernandez
Departamento de Tratamiento de la Información y Criptografía (DTIC)
Instituto de Tecnologías Físicas y de la Información Leonardo Torres Quevedo
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
Information security is a top priority in our society, with vast amounts of commerce performed online: amazon, ebay, online banking, etc. Current cryptosystems used to protect online information are based on the computational difficulty in solving certain mathematical functions: the so-called one way functions. However, with the prospect, more and more realistic, of the realization of a quantum computer, these cryptosystems will be seriously jeopardized; and with them global security. More worryingly, current encrypted information will be deciphered by a quantum computer, leaving sensitive information, such as medical histories, accessible in a, possibly, near future. The only alternative so far for protecting information against the attack of a quantum computer is quantum cryptography, and more particularly quantum key distribution, which allows the distribution of cryptographic keys securely, since it permits the detection of an eavesdropper in the channel. We will discuss how quantum key distribution can be implemented in a realistic scenario and the technological challenges it still faces to become the new information security ‘guardians’.
13 de marzo de 2015, 12:00 horas,
Lugar: Sala de Grados A
Escuela Politécnica Superior
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
C/ Francisco Tomás y Valiente 11, 28049 - Madrid
