Quote from: Guru on May 12, 2012, 06:20 pmQuote from: Ordos on May 12, 2012, 04:52 pmAt the moment GPG is secure, but quantum computing is coming and they will be able to break our current level of cryptography. It's just like WEPs implementation of the RC4 cipher was secure for a while or the ages(literally ages ago when Rome was an empire) old Cesar cipher was very secure. Start reading into GPG and learn how to beef up your key size and use better hashes that SHA1.[cryptography like all of computer security is a cat and mouse game, you figure out how to secure something better then they figure out how to attack your new method and vice versa]Barring some unforeseen breakthrough, realistically, I don't think quantum computing is going to be a real threat for at least a few decades. Even then, its use is primarily going to be restricted to intelligence agencies -- I can't see law enforcement using such technology any time soon. If and when quantum cryptography becomes a reality, then the real danger is going to be to the economic infrastructure, as all classical methods of protecting data will essentially be broken. I don't see anything on the horizon until much closer to mid-century. GuruI was reading Simon Singh's "The Code Book" which incidentally is an excellent and fun read for those interested in Cryptography which he wrote in 1999. In the final chapter "A Quantum Leap into the future", he does mention these types of computers and the fact as you say it would make conventional encryption methods redundant. He even speculates the NSA are doing this already - if so however we come down to the same issue we were discussing earlier this week the British faced when they cracked the Nazi Enigma code - acting on any information received would be to reveal their hand. The thought that they would do this for any amount of controlled drugs is a little implausible(!) Wouldn't you keep it a jealously guarded secret and only use it to spy on your country's enemies?V.