Multiple nations enact mysterious export controls on quantum computers
*Identical wording placing limits on the export of quantum computers has appeared in regulations across the globe. There doesn't seem to be any scientific reason for the controls, and all can be traced to secret international discussions*
*Secret* international discussions have resulted in governments across the
world imposing *identical* export controls on quantum computers, while *refusing* to disclose the scientific rationale behind the regulations. Although quantum computers theoretically have the potential to threaten national security by breaking encryption techniques, even the most advanced quantum computers currently in public existence are too small and too error-prone to achieve this, rendering the bans seemingly pointless.
The UK is one of the countries that has prohibited the export of <https://www.newscientist.com/article/2431853-uk-ban-on-quantum-computer-expo...> quantum computers with 34 or more quantum bits, or qubits, and error rates below a certain threshold. The intention seems to be to restrict machines of a certain capability, but the UK government hasn’t explicitly said this. A *New Scientist* *freedom of information request* for a rationale behind these numbers *was turned down on the grounds of national security*.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436023-multiple-nations-enact-mysterio...
Fabio Alemagna <falemagn@gmail.com> writes:
*Identical wording placing limits on the export of quantum computers has appeared in regulations across the globe. There doesn't seem to be any scientific reason for the controls, and all can be traced to secret international discussions*
[...]
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436023-multiple-nations-enact-mysterio...
grazie della segnalazione, aggiungo questo stralcio IMO molto importante: --8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8--- A spokesperson for the French Embassy in London told New Scientist that the limit was set at a level “likely to represent a cyber risk”. They said that the controls were the same in France, the UK, the Netherlands and Spain because of “multilateral negotiations conducted over several years under the Wassenaar Arrangement”. “The limits chosen are based on scientific analyses of the performance of quantum computers,” the spokesperson told New Scientist. But when asked for clarification on who performed the analysis or whether it would be publicly released, the spokesperson declined to comment further. --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8--- pare quindi che nell'ambito del Wassenaar Arrangement [1] da anni si stia discutendo su come regolare l'export delle "tecnologie quantum"... e perché (ma a noi non è dato sapere) lo scopo è del tutto analogo a quello del Arms Export Control Act [2] USA e credo che tutti gli indizi evidenzino quanto anche questaq restrizione sia parte integrante della sempiterna lotta per la liberalizzazione della crittografia, che non è MAI avvenuta realmente [3] detto in altri termini, ai governi piace ribadire: «la crittografia, specie se "quantum" è _roba_ nostra, giù le mani» mai dimenticare che la crittografia forte è sempre stata oggetto di /sabotaggio/ da parte delle agenzie segrete governative [4], e ovviamente lo è tutt'ora, con qualche nipotino di BULLRUN [5]... le strategie _includono_ l'infiltrazione negli organismi di standardizzazione. ...per questo è _fondamentale_ usare sistemi operativi basati su software libero riproducibile e bootstrappable :-D ...magari su computer quantici :-O saluti, 380° [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassenaar_Arrangement [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_Export_Control_Act [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernstein_v._United_States#History [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography#NSA_involvement [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullrun_(decryption_program) -- 380° (Giovanni Biscuolo public alter ego) «Noi, incompetenti come siamo, non abbiamo alcun titolo per suggerire alcunché» Disinformation flourishes because many people care deeply about injustice but very few check the facts. Ask me about <https://stallmansupport.org>.
participants (2)
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380° -
Fabio Alemagna