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Article

Title: Heisenberg's Certainty Principle

Author: Staff Article Type: Product Analysis
Source: The Economist, v385 n8551 p110(2) Publication Date: Oct 20, 2007
  ISSN: 0013-0613
URL of Publication: http://www.economist.com

The Swiss company ID Quantique will be using quantum cryptography to transmit votes from polling stations to a central computing house during Switzerlands general elections in October. Although seen as a publicity stunt, it will showcase a method of transmitting data that can virtually guarantee security. Quantum cryptography uses photons to carry information, as does most long-distance data transmission. But the photons in quantum cryptography are manipulated in such a way as to make it impossible to intercept and read them without altering the photon and thus drawing attention to the interceptor. The photons have one of two modes, and if an eavesdropper intercepts and reads the transmission, the laws of quantum mechanics say that the eavesdropper cannot read it without destroying the photons. Thus, the eavesdropper must generate new photons, which are likely to be incorrect and are almost instantly detectable. The system works when data become corrupted accidentally as well. ID Quantique, MagiQ and BBN Technologies are all developing quantum cryptography for commercial use in banks, insurance companies and other businesses that move sensitive data around.

Companies:
BBN Technologies id Quantique SA
MagiQ Technologies Inc

Products:
Quantum Cryptography

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