Are new Chinese satellites truly hack-proof?

SatelliteRecently, China has launched a quantum-encrypted satellite for communication purposes. If the satellite turns out to be truly hack-proof, this could be a major breakthrough in the data security industry.

The satellite has a two-year mission of developing hack-proof quantum communications, according to the words of Xinhua news agency. If the satellite turns out to be hack-proof, the users will have the option of sending messages in a secure, un-hackable manner.

The QUESS satellite has been launched just as the service providers are passionately fighting to dominate the market of cloud computing. The list of major players includes big names such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, as well as Asian giants like Baidu, Huawei, and Alibaba.

China’s QUESS technology is, at least in theory, impossible to hack, because the encryption relies on quantum entanglement, an extremely complex physics theory. The theory suggests that the particles remain entangled no matter the distance between them, which is a solid base of data encryption. In other words: any communications encrypted by this technology are safe, because they cannot be intercepted, read, or wiretapped by an unauthorized third party.

If the satellites live up to expectations, China could gain a major competitive advantage in the cloud computing market.

Lee Branstetter from Mellon University commented that many companies are looking at moving away from their internal IT communication systems and relocating to the cloud. This technology would have the potential to offset data security concerns related to this switch.