] Startup MagiQ Technologies Inc. yesterday announced it's
] shipping what appears to be the first security system
] based on quantum cryptography.
]
] Quantum cryptography goes a step further than electronic
] cryptography through its employment of a stream of
] photons, the quantum properties of which determine the
] key. The fun part is that if an intruder observes or
] intercepts the transmission, those properties get changed
] -- an unavoidable principle of quantum mechanics --
] meaning the sender and receiver can tell if anyone is
] eavesdropping. Perhaps more important, the key can't be
] copied or faked (see Optical Science Gets Spookier and
] Quantum Cipher Sent by Fiber ).
]
] It's a potential breaththrough, though working with
] photons has never been easy, and, as the optical
] networking bubble has shown, it can be an expensive way
] to build technology.
]
] MagiQ's Navajo system, a box made to fit in a standard
] telecom rack, was unveiled in February and began beta
] trials in March.