Harvest Now, Decrypt Later

[MayorQuimby]

I know that some government agencies are currently doing this, especially for online users who access politically sensitive sites. They want to know who these people are, however, current technology does not allow that, so they just collect as much info and data as they can and then hope that one day the computer will become powerful enough to crack whatever is collected.


So, I am wondering, for the average user, is there anything they can do in the mean time, to mitigate this very real threat? I believe that post-quantum cryptography is the potential answer for this but nobody knows when (if) it will become available. So, for the time being, what should one do? I know a few ways to protect one's online identity, such as by using Brave or Tor, use VPN...etc. But I just wonder if there are other ways.

Thanks.

 

[dblack]

I know that some government agencies are currently doing this, especially for online users who access politically sensitive sites. They want to know who these people are, however, current technology does not allow that, so they just collect as much info and data as they can and then hope that one day the computer will become powerful enough to crack whatever is collected.


So, I am wondering, for the average user, is there anything they can do in the mean time, to mitigate this very real threat? I believe that post-quantum cryptography is the potential answer for this but nobody knows when (if) it will become available. So, for the time being, what should one do? I know a few ways to protect one's online identity, such as by using Brave or Tor, use VPN...etc. But I just wonder if there are other ways.

Thanks.

This is actually a very possible outcome of quantum computing. As it improves, so does it ability to decode encrypted messages. Our intelligence agencies have a backlog of intercepted messages, from friends and foes. What happens when we're able to go back and read those? When we find out what was really going on? Could make for some touchy diplomacy.

 

[Crepitus]

I know that some government agencies are currently doing this, especially for online users who access politically sensitive sites. They want to know who these people are, however, current technology does not allow that, so they just collect as much info and data as they can and then hope that one day the computer will become powerful enough to crack whatever is collected.


So, I am wondering, for the average user, is there anything they can do in the mean time, to mitigate this very real threat? I believe that post-quantum cryptography is the potential answer for this but nobody knows when (if) it will become available. So, for the time being, what should one do? I know a few ways to protect one's online identity, such as by using Brave or Tor, use VPN...etc. But I just wonder if there are other ways.

Thanks.

Don't vote republican.