China’s Quantum Computing Breakthrough Raises Questions for Crypto Security

A Chinese research team has cracked a 22-bit RSA integer using quantum computing, marking a significant leap in encryption decoding capabilities. The Shanghai University group employed a D-Wave quantum annealer and a novel translation method to achieve what was previously thought impossible—factoring RSA keys with quantum technology.

While current real-world encryption relies on 2048-bit or 3072-bit keys, this demonstration proves quantum computing's potential to scale beyond its previous 19-bit limit. The breakthrough signals a future where even 'unbreakable' RSA encryption could be compromised as quantum resources expand.

Global institutions are already responding to the threat. NIST and the White House are actively pushing for quantum-resistant cryptography standards, warning of potential 'harvest now, decrypt later' attacks. The crypto industry may need to accelerate its adoption of post-quantum security measures as quantum computing advances.