Quantum Computing: IBM’s Quantum Leap Should Raise Red Flags for Healthcare Leaders

IBM’s unveiling of its 127-qubit quantum processor cannot be emulated on the best traditional supercomputers.

On Monday, November 15th, 2021, IBM announced that it has developed a new quantum processor and claims that quantum computers will soon outperform traditional computers. IBM's Eagle chip has 127 qubits, which represent information in quantum form, (IBM says quantum chip could beat standard chips in two years. 2021). Traditional computer "bits" are either 1 or 0, whereas qubits can be both; essentially qubits are particles that can be in two states at the same time. By 2022, the company also announced its plans to develop two new chips that will compete with traditional hardware; those chips would be the Osprey, which has 433 qubits, and the Condor, which has 1,121 qubits, (IBM’s roadmap for scaling quantum technology. 2021). At this point, the company claims it will have achieved a quantum advantage, where quantum computers outperform ordinary ones, but quantum computers will not take over immediately. In their release, IBM outlines a scenario where some parts of a computer program run on normal chips, while others run on quantum processors, depending on the workload.

Quantum computing may be able to solve problems quicker than classical computers, especially those requiring large numbers of variables and possible outcomes, such as simulations or optimization tasks. The computers’ capacity to handle massive amounts of data independently has several uses, particularly in identifying trends in big healthcare data. Quantum computing may also forever change cybersecurity, as these computers could overcome encryption algorithms like RSA, which protect sensitive data and electronic conversations.

But not all quantum uses are scary and currently, manufacturers frequently highlight faster drug discovery and better process optimization, and quantum computing's promise in healthcare encompasses what it can do and what it can defend against. Anthem also has stepped into the garden of quantum computing and teamed up with IBM's Q Network Hub to examine how quantum computing might help build more accurate and personalized treatment choices and improve health condition prediction. Despite the challenges and despite the security concerns, healthcare organizations are investing, and many believe the payback may be worth it.

On Wednesday, November 10, 2021, QuSecure conducted a webinar on the quantum threat to healthcare. In the webinar, QuSecure’s COO Skip Sanzeri and CEO Dave Krauthamer discuss traditional and emerging threats to our healthcare system along with post-quantum cybersecurity options that are currently available. According to Privacy Affairs, from 2009 to 2019, over 230 million US healthcare records were lost or stolen, with a 2733 percent increase in healthcare data breaches. Many of these breaches were achieved with traditional means and terabytes’ worth of encrypted patient data and communication was absconded.

With traditional computing, breaking the encryption would require huge amounts of distributed computing power or numerous supercomputers to crack even small sums of these data, but quantum computers are rapidly evolving, adding to the healthcare industry's cybersecurity challenge. With that encrypted data, hackers are now employing quantum computers that can break many current encryption schemes and could utilize patients' personal data to undermine vital healthcare services. For healthcare businesses, every day that critical patient data is left unprotected increases risk and accountability and the rising usage of IoT in healthcare makes hospital networks more vulnerable to intrusions, (Webinar: Learn About the Future of Cybersecurity, Quantum, and Healthcare! 2021). The potential quantum threat to the system is one that needs quick and bold action from today’s healthcare leaders.

References

IBM says quantum chip could beat standard chips in two years. (2021). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/ibm-says-quantum-chip-could-beat-standard-chips-two-years-2021-11-15/

IBM’s roadmap for scaling quantum technology. (2021). IBM Research Blog. https://research.ibm.com/blog/ibm-quantum-roadmap

Webinar: Learn About the Future of Cybersecurity, Quantum, and Healthcare! (2021). QuSecure Live. https://www.qusecure.com/post/join-us-to-learn-about-the-future-of-cybersecurity-quantum-and-healthcare