The Washington Post reports on alleged plans by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) to build “a cryptologically useful computer” that could break virtually all encryption on the Internet, including banking, medical, business and government records. Documents provided by former contractor Edward Snowden reveal the plans are part of a $79.7 million research program going by the name “Penetrating Hard Targets.” Unlike classical computers, which run on binary bits—ones or zeroes—quantum computers seek to use bits that are simultaneously ones and zeroes, making it exponentially quicker and more efficient. Some experts, however, are skeptical that such a full-scale system would be ready in the near term. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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