The laptop broke the "post-quantum" cryptography scheme that was meant to protect information against quantum computers.

Image Source: (https://www.quantamagazine.org/‘Post-Quantum’ Cryptography Scheme Is Cracked on a Laptop)

The fact is that quantum computers are a new thing. Those new and powerful systems are making the regular, binary cryptography old-fashion. Traditional RSA cryptography is very easy to break by using quantum computers. 

So there it needed a new algorithm that can protect networks against quantum computers. This is why NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) published the race, to create next-generation cryptography. The advances in quantum computing are huge. And that means those systems are turning more common. 

So maybe quite soon the first quantum servers are in use in private corporations. And sooner than we think, the first quantum-PC:s are sold in supermarkets. That means we must create new algorithms and methods for protecting our networks against quantum hackers. 

There is a problem that nobody knows what will be the next step in quantum technology. And there are many protocols and cryptographic systems tested against the attacks of quantum computers. But some of those algorithms involve mistakes. And one of them is broken by using laptop computers. That thing tells that even the symmetrical curve cryptography and other symmetrical methods don't stand against quantum computers. An algorithm is useless against quantum computers if the laptops can break it. 

The reason why quantum cryptography is hard to break is that the data travels in the form of a qubit. Because the qubit is the particle the attempt to steal information will cause the quantum states of that qubit to be disturbed. And that thing uncovers the attempt to steal information. 

Normally qubits are traveling in the protective laser ray. And that thing makes quantum cryptography more secure than we even think.

There is, of course, a possibility, that quantum systems can be hacked. But the time that the binary computer uses for that thing is extremely long. So if we want to break the code that is made in a second by using a quantum computer, by using a binary computer that takes over a month. This means real-time hacking the quantum systems by using binary computers is impossible. 

So if somebody wants to hack things like battlefield missiles that are using quantum cryptography in their messages by using binary computers, that will take so long time, that this kind of hacking doesn't affect the situation.

If we think that a qubit is like a house, or tower with multiple layers or states we can make quantum cryptography even more secure than it was before. In the case where qubit has let's say eleven states. We can use as an example states 5, 7, and 10 for sending information. So we must not use those quantum states successively. 

If we use only states 5,7 and 10. We might fill other states by using white noise. Or we can send things like images in those states. In that case, if somebody tries to open the message that thing will disturb other states and cause distortion in those images. That means we can see if somebody tried to steal information from the qubits. 

https://www.quantamagazine.org/post-quantum-cryptography-scheme-is-cracked-on-a-laptop-20220824/