Swiss Elections To Use Quantum Communication Links
A New Scientist article reports that Swiss Election officials have revealed that a Quantum Communication link will be used in the upcoming national election to protect the integrity of votes during transmission. Votes tallied at counting centers in the state of Geneva will be transmitted to the government’s central data repository over the connection. The goal according to Geneva state chancellor Robert Hensler, is to “verify that data has not been corrupted in transit between entry and storage”.
Quantum Communications links have seen very limited usage so far. Even Government and Military applications have seem to have seen infrequent deployment. Some individuals have started that they think that the anti-eavesdropping quantum communication technology is a bit of a gimmick to suggest security may stronger and better deployed than it actually is. This may be in part due to the fact that Quantum Communication links are often called “unbreakable” and “encryption” when in actuality they are neither of those things. For example, Frank Jordans with the Associated Press made that mistake in his coverage of the Swiss technology deployment. Data is typically encrypted with a standard algorithm, such as AES or a stream cypher before being transmitted. CryptoWatch has covered TeleColoning as a possible method for eavesdropping on Quantum Communication links and MIT scientists have simulated such an attack in order to prove that it is possible.
However, it cannot be argued that the technology does not provides additional security. I believe the lack of adoption is due primarily to the level of skill and knowledge necessary to properly deploy the technology and the overall cost of such deployments. However, the Swiss have found an excellent and worthwhile early use. With a highly charged election on the horizon it makes good sense to attempt to strengthen and reinforce the machinery of democracy against attack be any those who would seek to corrupt or defeat it - foreign or domestic. Perhaps, in the future there will be parallel highly secure Quantum Communication Link networks available that any one can use for an additional metered cost, much like toll roads.