A breakthrough in encryption has emerged from Florida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing. Researchers have developed an algorithm that secures video content—be it intellectual property or surveillance footage—from the looming power of quantum computers.
The study, published in IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, was steered by Distinguished University Professor S. S. Iyengar along with Yashas Hariprasad and Naveen Kumar Chaudhary. As Hariprasad puts it, “Our quantum-safe encryption addresses three critical challenges in cybersecurity.” Quantum computers harness qubits instead of binary digits, processing vast amounts of data simultaneously. Although these machines aren’t common yet and can be sensitive to environmental changes, experts warn that by 2035, stronger encryption will be a necessity, as highlighted by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre.
Iyengar illustrates the threat with a relatable analogy: imagine a key that can try multiple lock combinations at once—a stark contrast to conventional hacking, which is far slower. Notably, FIU’s algorithm runs on standard computers while bolstering defenses against both today’s and tomorrow’s cyber challenges. By increasing the randomness of encrypted data, it outperforms existing methods by 10–15%, making it trickier for hackers to detect patterns.
The team is now working with QNU Labs to refine and implement their approach, aiming to prepare digital infrastructures for the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
