EP-4738163-A1 - DETERMINING RESISTANCE OF A CLASSICAL ALGORITHM TO A QUANTUM BREACH ATTEMPT

EP4738163A1EP 4738163 A1EP4738163 A1EP 4738163A1EP-4738163-A1

Abstract

A computing system obtains a set of instructions configured to execute on a classical computing system. The set of instructions are evaluated to identify a cryptographic algorithm having a cryptographic algorithm type implemented by the set of instructions. Based on the cryptographic algorithm type, a candidate quantum algorithm comprising quantum instructions operable to attempt to breach the cryptographic algorithm is selected from a plurality of quantum algorithms. The set of instructions are translated into cryptographic quantum instructions that implement the cryptographic algorithm. Based on the cryptographic quantum instructions and the quantum instructions, a quantum instruction file is generated that, when executed, attempts to breach the cryptographic algorithm.

Inventors

GRIFFIN, LEIGH
COADY, STEPHEN

Assignees

Red Hat, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20241212

Claims (14)

A method, comprising: obtaining, by a computing system comprising one or more processor devices, a set of instructions configured to execute on a classical computing system; evaluating, by the computing system, the set of instructions to identify a cryptographic algorithm having a cryptographic algorithm type implemented by the set of instructions; based on the cryptographic algorithm type, selecting, by the computing system, a candidate quantum algorithm from a plurality of quantum algorithms, the candidate quantum algorithm comprising quantum instructions operable to attempt to breach the cryptographic algorithm; translating, by the computing system, the set of instructions into cryptographic quantum instructions that implement the cryptographic algorithm; and generating, by the computing system, based on the cryptographic quantum instructions and the quantum instructions, a quantum instruction file that, when executed, attempts to breach the cryptographic algorithm.
The method of claim 1, further comprising causing, by the computing system, a quantum computing system to execute the quantum instruction file.
The method of claim 2, further comprising: generating, by the quantum computing system, information that is indicative of whether the cryptographic algorithm was breached.
The method of claim 3, wherein the information indicates that the cryptographic algorithm was breached.
The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifies an amount of time required to breach the cryptographic algorithm.
The method of claim 3, further comprising sending, by the quantum computing system, the information to a destination.
The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the set of instructions comprises: decomposing, by the computing system, the set of instructions to identify a pattern associated with the set of instructions, wherein the pattern is indicative of a cryptographic algorithm type.
The method of claim 7, wherein evaluating the set of instructions further comprises: accessing, by the computing system, a plurality of known patterns, each known pattern of the plurality of known patterns corresponding to a different cryptographic algorithm type; and comparing, by the computing system, the pattern associated with the set of instructions to known patterns of the plurality of known patterns.
The method of claim 1, wherein translating the set of instructions into the cryptographic quantum instructions comprises: identifying one or more variables utilized by the set of instructions; and generating, by the computing system, the cryptographic quantum instructions to utilize the one or more variables.
The method of claim 1, wherein the computing system is a classical computing system, and further comprising: sending, by the computing system, the quantum instruction file to a quantum computing system.
The method of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic algorithm type comprises: a Rivest-Shamir-Adleman, RSA, algorithm type; a Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit, SHA-256, algorithm type; or an Advanced Encryption Standard, AES, algorithm type.
The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate quantum algorithm comprises: a Shor's algorithm; or a Grover's algorithm.
A computing device, comprising: a memory; and a processor device coupled to the memory, the processor device being configured to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 12.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes executable instructions to cause a processor device to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 12.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a method and system for determining the resistance of a classical algorithm to a quantum breach attempt. BACKGROUND Algorithms that have been thought to be extremely secure have been breached in a relatively short period of time by a quantum algorithm executing on a quantum computing system. SUMMARY The examples disclosed herein determine the resistance of a classical algorithm to a quantum breach attempt. In a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method includes obtaining, by a computing system including one or more processor devices, a set of instructions configured to execute on a classical computing system. The method further includes evaluating, by the computing system, the set of instructions to identify a cryptographic algorithm having a cryptographic algorithm type implemented by the set of instructions. The method further includes selecting, based on the cryptographic algorithm type, by the computing system, a candidate quantum algorithm including quantum instructions operable to attempt to breach the cryptographic algorithm. The method further includes translating, by the computing system, the set of instructions into cryptographic quantum instructions that implement the cryptographic algorithm. The method further includes generating, based on the cryptographic quantum instructions and the quantum instructions, by the computing system, a quantum instruction file that, when executed, attempts to breach the cryptographic algorithm. The method may further comprise causing, by the computing system, a quantum computing system to execute the quantum instruction file. The method may further comprise generating, by the quantum computing system, information that is indicative of whether the cryptographic algorithm was breached. The information may indicate that the cryptographic algorithm was breached, and may identify an amount of time required to breach the cryptographic algorithm. The method may further comprise sending, by the quantum computing system, the information to a destination. Evaluating the set of instructions may comprise: decomposing, by the computing system, the set of instructions to identify a pattern associated with the set of instructions, wherein the pattern is indicative of a cryptographic algorithm type. Evaluating the set of instructions may further comprise: accessing, by the computing system, a plurality of known patterns, each known pattern of the plurality of known patterns corresponding to a different cryptographic algorithm type; and comparing, by the computing system, the pattern associated with the set of instructions to known patterns of the plurality of known patterns. Translating the set of instructions into the cryptographic quantum instructions may comprise: identifying one or more variables utilized by the set of instructions; and generating, by the computing system, the cryptographic quantum instructions to utilize the one or more variables. The computing system may be a classical computing system, and the method may further comprise sending, by the computing system, the quantum instruction file to a quantum computing system. The cryptographic algorithm type may comprise: a Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithm type; a Secure Hash Algorithm 256-bit (SHA-256) algorithm type; or an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm type. The candidate quantum algorithm may comprise: a Shor's algorithm; or a Grover's algorithm. In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a computing device is provided. The computing device includes a memory, and a processor device coupled to the memory. The processor device is configured to perform the method in accordance with the first aspect or its examples. In the second aspect of the present disclosure, a computing device is provided. The computing device includes a memory, and a processor device coupled to the memory. The processor device is configured to obtain a set of instructions configured to execute on a classical computing system. The processor device is further configured to evaluate the set of instructions to identify a cryptographic algorithm having a cryptographic algorithm type implemented by the set of instructions. The processor device is further configured to select, based on the cryptographic algorithm type, a candidate quantum algorithm from a plurality of quantum algorithms, the candidate quantum algorithm including quantum instructions operable to attempt to breach the cryptographic algorithm. The processor device is further configured to translate the set of instructions into cryptographic quantum instructions that implement the cryptographic algorithm. The processor device is further configured to generate, based on the cryptographic quantum instructions and the quantum instructions, a quantum instruction file that, when executed, attempts to breach the cryptographic algorithm. The processor device may be further configured to cause a quantum co