Messaging apps
like
iMessage
, WhatsApp, and Signal use special maths to keep your chats private when you send messages back and forth. This works kind of like an unbreakable secret code to scramble messages so no one else can read them.
The problem is that new types of computers being built might soon get incredibly powerful thanks to strange quantum physics.
Future quantum machines could break through normal privacy codes by trying every possible combination at once.
So to get ahead of this, Apple has implemented all-new quantum-safe
encryption
for iMessage, which is based on secret codes based on different kinds of maths these
quantum computers
will still find practically impossible to crack.
What is quantum-secure cryptography work
Most encryption today depends on mathematical problems that even supercomputers find nearly impossible to solve. For example, multiplying two large prime numbers is trivial, but factoring the product back into primes is extremely difficult.
Quantum computers threaten to upend this paradigm. They exploit strange quantum physics phenomena to solve problems like factorization much more efficiently. Though the capability is still years away, cryptographers are already developing new techniques resistant to quantum attacks:
- Code-based cryptography relies on solving intricate decoding puzzles.
- Lattice-based cryptography hides data points in abstract mathematical structures.
- Multivariate cryptography obscures equations with lots of variables.
Credit: Apple
The collective term for all these approaches is “post-quantum cryptography” (PQC). The basic idea is to replace old encryption schemes vulnerable to future quantum brute-forcing with PQC alternatives. In layman terms, the PQ3 replaces parts of the old code with quantum-resistant mazes.
If that sounds complicated to you. Let’s break it down for you in much simpler words.
So, regular encryption uses hard maths problems like multiplying large prime numbers to scramble messages. But future quantum computers could cheat and quickly undo that kind of maths. So scientists invented new "quantum-safe" codes even though these super-powered machines can't easily break. These quantum-safe codes hide data points in weird multidimensional geometries, sort of like sci-fi mazes. Finding secrets buried in these abstract shapes will still take an insane number of guesses for quantum computers.
Don’t worry, your texts are safe. You will not notice the change, but it will keep selfies, messages, and anything else private, even from souped-up quantum hackers.
How does quantum-secure cryptography work in messaging apps
The core idea behind quantum-safe codes is using shapes instead of numbers to encrypt data. But quantum computers can get around the numbers using wonky physics. The catch is that these shapes live in weird dimensions, shaped a bit like mazes, which twist basic rules of maths and space. These shapes follow their own bent rules of logic that don't obey normal space.
Trying to pinpoint hidden data inside these curvy, twisty structures forces guesses from every crazy angle. It's exponentially harder than figuring out where two primes multiply. To grasp it, imagine a globe maze that curves up, down, left, and right in three dimensions. Then make it 100 dimensions! Spotting patterns and trapdoors in these geometric forests is basically impossible.
When sending private messages, apps disguise them within these quantum-proof hyper-mazes rather than numeric codes. The complex quantum shapes jumble and shield the contents better than prime multiplication against future quantum hackers.
So phones will talk to each other using these space-age latex masks shielding communication. The bendy geometry protects your personal data and secrets despite exponential computer progress. Just like primes today, the quantum mazes will remain virtually impenetrable to attackers.
How Apple's post-quantum encryption makes iMessage more secure
Apple has uniquely future-proofed iMessage against quantum hacking. Other popular chat apps still largely depend on maths tricks quantum computers could quickly overpower. But iMessage now hides texts inside complex multidimensional quantum mazes even the most advanced algorithms cannot easily navigate, or what Apple calls the Level 3 security protocol, while other messaging apps are still on Level 1. So, iMessage is already protected against tomorrow’s threat.
Apple’s upcoming update for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Watches – iOS 17.4, iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, and watchOS 10.4 – will be bringing this new PQ3 cryptographic protocol to iMessage. The updates are expected to be released early next month, i.e., March.
By layering these alien state-of-the-art privacy shapes onto existing defences, Apple has created an uncrackable encrypted chat platform that will keep your conversations truly confidential despite exponential advances in codebreaking capability. No other mainstream messaging service currently matches this integrated combination of robust modern encryption and specialized quantum safeguards specifically tuned against super-powered future attacks.
What does it mean for users
The main takeaway is you will not need to change anything you do online or on your phone for this next-gen encryption to work behind the scenes. When sending texts or media, you can expect an automatic invisible upgrade to extra-secure quantum mode anytime the person you are talking to has a device that also supports it. That quantum-powered shield will then encode your entire conversation with protection even a futuristic computer can't easily smash through.
Over the next few years, more apps and websites will likely add these self-activating quantum force fields on top of their existing security. So emails, money transfers, shared photos or documents - anything encrypted online stands to get this seamless privacy boost too. Apps will handle the technical upgrades on their own as more quantum-style codes get adopted.
