• Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I can’t say much, but I do know they have every computing capacity you can imagine, as well as at least one of every piece of HW, even the stuff that’s built in a basement.

    • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      Still, as far as is commonly known, mathematically cracking encryption where the algorithm is good and keys are large and unique remains impractical for conventional computers. If they’re secretly way ahead on quantum computing (which seems unlikely), or if they have discovered mathematical vulnerabilities in common algorithms that have not been published, then that’s a different matter. But as far as we know, it must still be difficult for them to attack encryption directly. You suggest you know more than you can say, but if I were them I’d be looking at putting backdoors into phone/computer hardware to get hold of communications before they are E2E encrypted, and/or placing subtle vulnerabilities in open-source code.

            • WildPalmTree@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              But this is not like the past. Quantum computers is not an step in evolution, it is a jump, as if from no computers to computers. Of course it’s possible, but there is no basis or indication for it and so no reason to assume it. Why believe the less likely thing instead of the more likely?

                • WildPalmTree@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  Which one? A super computer? Its just faster than a conventional computer by a factor that doesn’t matter. A quantum computer? The public field would be way closer to that if “the government” had one that would be useful.

                  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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                    2 months ago

                    Obviously you are not aware a Quantum does not operate like a conventional computer. That’s fine. No reason to go further.