What Just Happened is a Massive Breakthrough…
On September 30th, the Chinese Journal of Computers published a peer-reviewed paper highlighting a significant breakthrough, as reported by Interesting Engineering. Researchers used a quantum computer to breach military-grade encryption. According to The Quantum Insider:
“The study emphasizes that while a quantum computer has not yet revealed the specific passcodes used in the algorithms tested, it is closer to doing so than previously achieved. As the technology advances, the researchers suggest that further developments could yield more robust quantum attacks. The ongoing evolution in quantum computing points to potential new vulnerabilities in existing cryptographic systems as scientists push the limits of what these machines can accomplish.”
And according to CSO:
“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.”
Make note of that last quote. It means the cryptographic algorithms protecting our sensitive information are extremely difficult, if not impossible, for today’s computers to break. But quantum computers can easily crack these codes. Needless to say, this poses a substantial threat to global military and banking systems.
As a result, governments and corporations all over the globe are racing to develop quantum computing and quantum computing applications. Quantum computers promise to advance almost every field of human endeavor – from traditional industries such as banking and energy to new emerging industries such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
But I think the area in which quantum computing will have the most impact is clear – national security. Quantum computing has the potential to break all known encryption methods now used to secure sensitive national security information and military communications. And this would be very destabilizing to the current world order.
What is a Quantum Computer?
So, what exactly is a quantum computer? Classical computers encode information in bits, represented as ones and zeroes. Quantum computers encode information in qubits, represented by the directional spin of an electron or the polarization of a photon. Unlike classic computer bits, quantum mechanics allow qubits to exist in both states simultaneously. So, instead of representing either a one or a zero, a qubit can represent both simultaneously. By linking qubits together via quantum entanglement, quantum computers have the potential to exponentially exceed the computing power of today’s most powerful supercomputers.
Why is This Important?
Why should you care? Such a computer would be so powerful it could instantly break the most sophisticated encryption methods of the current computer era. Imagine the military advantage a nation-state would hold over its peers if it developed quantum computing ahead of all others. It would have an overwhelming advantage.
If academic journals are openly discussing the arrival of quantum computing breakthroughs, what do you think governments are doing in secret?
The United States, China, the EU, Russia, and others have far more resources than the corporate world or higher education. Think they’ll be willing to spend a few hundred billion on a crash program to speed up the development timeline? I think so. And the uncertainty, distrust, and instability of a quantum computing arms race makes it certain. Too much is at stake.
Welcome to the Era of Cyber Warfare
Think about the problems and inconveniences created from short-lived disruptions in Internet service or utility operations. How long can you go without electricity, water, and Internet before a minor annoyance turns into a major crisis?
Consider the impact of two recent cyberattacks – one, a ransomware attack on healthcare processor Change Healthcare, and the other, a cyberattack by a foreign adversary on Texas municipal water systems. A ransomware attack on Change Healthcare back in February impacted over a third of U.S. citizens and cost parent company UnitedHealth Group over $2.9 billion. In January, the Texas town of Muleshoe, was victim of a cyberattack that caused its water system to overflow before a manual override was able to shut it down. The Muleshoe attack was just one of three attacks on small towns in the rural Texas Panhandle, showcasing the vulnerability of our vital infrastructure.
In both of these events, it’s believed criminal hackers were the culprits, but nation-states have far greater capabilities. And we’re entering an era where nation-states will soon have access to quantum computers capable of breaking all current encryption methods. Imagine what would happen in a full-blown cyber war. What would happen if your community lost electricity, water, and sewer service all at once? What if grocery stores went bare for weeks on end? The end result of a cyber war between major powers could be absolutely devastating.
A New World Order
When it comes to World War III or a serious military conflict between major world powers, many people continue to live under a false sense of security. Conventional wisdom says World War III is certain to bring global nuclear destruction. And because of this, every leader on the planet is determined to avoid it at any cost.
But is this true?
Unfortunately, it’s not. The current world order is based on Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). MAD is the fear of total destruction and the idea no one can win a war between two nuclear powers. For 70 years, it’s all that’s kept us from World War III. But MAD won’t keep the peace forever. It’s based on technology. And that technology is on the verge of becoming obsolete. Like all previous military eras, the era of MAD will soon come to an end.
To work, MAD relies on certainty. A nation must be certain it can launch a nuclear attack if threatened. Otherwise, an enemy nation could prevail in a first-strike scenario. Likewise, the enemy nation must be certain it faces total annihilation if it launches a first strike. This certainty of “mutual assured destruction” is what’s kept the world from destroying itself for over seven decades.
Unfortunately, new technologies will soon eliminate this uncertainty. For example, nuclear-armed submarines are the backbone of a nation’s nuclear deterrent. A single nuclear-armed sub can carry dozens of nuclear warheads several times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Such submarines patrol the planet’s vast oceans where they’re more than able to evade detection from enemy nations. At the very least, they create uncertainty in the eyes of the enemy, who can never be sure about their ability to disarm every such threat.
But quantum computing will change that. It will accelerate the development of new technologies, such as quantum sensors. With powerful quantum sensors, a nation could detect every submarine on the planet. Once detected, those submarines could be disabled using other new technologies. For instance, quantum computing will also enable advanced modeling of chemical reactions. This will prove critical in the development of molecular manufacturing.
With molecular manufacturing, even a small nation could quickly develop legions of tiny swarming drones capable of disarming and destroying any conventional weapon of today. The first nation to develop advanced quantum computers will have the inside edge in the development of these next-generation technologies.
Where We’re Headed
The rise of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, drone swarms, and other emerging technologies is a destabilizing event. Together, these new technologies will overturn the post-war stability of MAD. They make World War III inevitable. When the war ends, one nation (or group of nations) will control all of humanity. That nation (or group of nations) will be the leader in the development of these new military technologies. And they will use them to conquer the globe.
Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t.
The Bible says another world war is certain (Revelation 6:4). It also tells us one nation will control the earth in the aftermath (Revelation 13:7). Is this just a coincidence? No. It’s just one of many signs pointing to the soon return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said when you see all the signs converge, His arrival is near (Luke 21:28). Those signs are converging for our generation. So take advantage of what little time we have left. Spread the Good News and tell others about Jesus. The time is short. Jesus is coming soon!
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Britt Gillette is the author of several books on Bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com