The researchers didn’t just stop at RSA. They also attacked algorithms crucial to the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), including Present, Rectangle, and the Gift-64 block cipher.

“Our findings show that D-Wave’s quantum technology can efficiently target encryption systems that protect sensitive information globally,” they stated in their paper.

“Many cryptographic algorithms that enterprises rely on today, such as RSA and ECC, are based on mathematical problems that are computationally difficult for classical computers to solve efficiently,” said Prabhjyot Kaur, senior analyst at Everest Group. “However, the advent of quantum computing threatens the security of these algorithms. The need for robust quantum-safe or post-quantum cryptographic solutions becomes increasingly evident as quantum computing advances.”