Preparing for the day quantum computers crack encryption – PQShield founder Ali El Kaafarani
UKTN | The Podcast
UKTN
5.0 • 6 Ratings
🗓️ 12 June 2023
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Dr Ali El Kaafarani, founder and CEO of PQShield, explains how quantum computers will one day crack today’s encryption to expose our data, discusses the race to create cryptography that can fend off quantum attacks, and why “strengthening the startup position in the UK should be a top priority for the UK government to excel at quantum computing”.
Oxford-headquartered PQShield is a cybersecurity spinout founded by researchers to develop post-quantum cryptography tools. The company, which has raised nearly $27m in funding, has contributed to developing the first cryptography standards designed to block cyberattacks powered by quantum machines. Its software and hardware products are already being adopted by companies such as Bosch and Collins Aerospace. Kaafarani is also a researcher at the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford and has previous experience at HP Labs.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It's enough for it to fall into the wrong hands and you're basically doomed. |
| 0:09.0 | All the data that you've ever exchanged online is all of the sudden available to that person, |
| 0:15.0 | company, government that happened to have access to the quantum computer. |
| 0:30.6 | Any country can claim quantum computing capabilities and their very near future. And they could beat IBM and Google and other governments as well. |
| 0:39.3 | We lack a great vision from the government |
| 0:42.3 | that allow for companies, start-ups here, |
| 0:46.3 | to grow locally to an international level |
| 0:50.3 | without needing to be acquired |
| 0:52.3 | and moving to the US or elsewhere. |
| 0:59.0 | But first, a quick message from our sponsor. |
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| 1:31.3 | uk slash intact. Hello and welcome to the UKTM podcast, a weekly chat with the founders of some of the |
| 1:42.1 | UK's high growth tech companies and other key |
| 1:44.7 | stakeholders. In this series, we'll be exploring what entrepreneurship looks like in the UK right |
| 1:49.6 | now, as well as getting tips from some of our most innovative business leaders and discussing |
| 1:54.4 | the hot topics in the tech world. I'm your host, Jane Wakefield, and I'm joined today by Dr. |
| 2:00.1 | Ali L. Kaffirani, the CEO and founder of PQ Shield. |
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