Quantum computing: a breakthrough with a looming security crisis

Quantum computing is racing forward, with tech giants pursuing machines that could surpass today’s supercomputers and transform fields like materials science and drug design. But the same power could break current encryption, threatening global security; the US has fast-tracked quantum development via executive orders and is pushing quantum-safe security updates, while standards for quantum-resistant encryption have already been published. With heavy investment from rivals like China and Russia and timelines that remain uncertain (potential breakthroughs by 2029), the article frames quantum tech as a sea change with significant national-security implications.