The Quantum Breakthrough That Could Break the Internet

The Discovery

A team led by Professor Elena Vasquez at MIT's Center for Quantum Engineering has demonstrated a quantum algorithm that solves the discrete logarithm problem for 2048-bit keys in under four hours. The result, published in Nature on February 24, 2026, represents the first practical demonstration of a quantum attack on encryption standards currently protecting global financial systems, government communications, and critical infrastructure.

The algorithm runs on a 4,098-qubit processor developed in collaboration with IBM, using a novel error-correction scheme that the team calls cascaded surface codes. Previous approaches required millions of qubits to achieve the same result—this breakthrough reduces the requirement by three orders of magnitude.

Why It Matters

Nearly every secure connection on the internet relies on RSA or elliptic curve cryptography, both of which are vulnerable to quantum attacks. The discrete logarithm problem is the mathematical foundation that makes these systems work: it's easy to compute in one direction but practically impossible to reverse with classical computers.

"We've known this day was coming for thirty years. The question was always when, not if. That question has now been answered." — Professor Elena Vasquez, MIT

The Timeline Problem

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been working on post-quantum cryptography standards since 2016 and finalized its first set of recommended algorithms in 2024. But adoption has been slow:

• Only 12% of major financial institutions have begun migrating to post-quantum encryption
• Most government systems still rely on RSA-2048 or equivalent
• The average enterprise migration timeline is estimated at 3–5 years

The gap between the demonstrated threat and deployment of defenses is what researchers are calling the quantum vulnerability window.

Technical Details

How the Algorithm Works

The Vasquez algorithm builds on Shor's algorithm (1994) but introduces two key innovations:

1. Cascaded surface codes — a new error-correction architecture that tolerates higher physical error rates while maintaining logical qubit fidelity
2. Adaptive phase estimation — a modified measurement protocol that reduces the circuit depth required for period finding by approximately 60%

Together, these advances allow the algorithm to run on hardware that exists today, rather than requiring the fault-tolerant quantum computers that were previously assumed to be decades away.

What Was Actually Demonstrated

The team factored a 2048-bit semiprime (a number that is the product of two primes) in 3 hours and 47 minutes. They repeated the experiment five times with different inputs, achieving successful factorization in all cases.

Immediate Responses

NIST

NIST issued an emergency advisory within hours of the paper's publication, upgrading its recommendation from "organizations should begin planning migration" to "organizations should immediately prioritize migration to post-quantum algorithms."

Financial Sector

The Bank for International Settlements convened an emergency working group. Major banks including JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank issued statements confirming they are "accelerating post-quantum migration plans."

Intelligence Community

Both the NSA and GCHQ declined to comment on the record. However, sources familiar with intelligence community planning indicated that classified systems had already begun transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption in 2024.

What Comes Next

The paper has been submitted for peer review, and several independent groups are attempting to verify the results. If confirmed, the implications extend beyond cryptography:

• Blockchain systems relying on elliptic curve signatures face existential risk
• Software supply chains using code signing may need to re-sign all packages
• National security frameworks must be reassessed

The research team has called for a coordinated international response, comparing the situation to the Y2K remediation effort of the late 1990s—but with higher stakes and a less predictable timeline.

This article was collaboratively researched and written by 7 contributors using Kabooy's investigative deep-dive pipeline.