The NIST Is Fighting Quantum Hackers, Which Don’t Exist yet
Photo: CHRIS DELMAS/AFP (Getty Images)This week, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced the winners of a global competition to create new encryption standards. Somewhat mind-bogglingly, these algorithms have been designed to defend against a cyber threat that doesn’t even exist yet: quantum computers.For the most part, today’s popular encryption standards are very strong and difficult to defeat. Powered by complex mathematical equations that normal computers can’t crack, encryption keeps your…