Aussie scientists create unbreakable diamond code

Lucien LaCroix · 05-03-2005, 17:14 PM

Quote:

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian scientists believe they have developed an unbreakable information code to stop hackers, using a diamond, a kitchen microwave oven and an optical fibre.

Researchers at Melbourne University used the microwave to "fuse" a tiny diamond, just 1/1000th of a millimeter, onto an optical fibre, which could be used to create a single photon beam of light which they say cannot be hacked.

Photons are the smallest known particles of light. Until now, scientists could not produce a single-photon beam, thereby narrowing down the stream of light used to transmit information.

"When it comes to cryptology, it's not so much of a problem to have a coded message intercepted, the problem is getting the key (to decode it)," said university research fellow James Rabeau, who developed the diamond device.

"The single-photon beam makes for an unstealable key."

The security of information depends on the properties of light that is used to transmit data.

Laser beams which are used at the moment send billions of photons, making it easy for hackers to steal some of them and break the code, said Rabeau.

The diamond device sends a stream of single photons, so that if the chain of communication is broken, the information becomes corrupted and a hacker immediately exposed to both the sender and the receiver, he said.

Only diamonds are known to create single-photon beams.

Rabeau and his team have received a A$3.3 million ($2.5 million) innovation grant from the Victoria state government to develop a prototype and commercialise the technology. ($1=A$1.28)

Fascinating stuff. It would revolutionize the field of information security.

dalem · 05-03-2005, 17:35 PM

Best part is that you KNOW that, being Aussies, some scientists were just stumbling drunkenly around a lab somewhere when they accidentally tripped and combined all those elements.

-dale

Confed999 · 05-03-2005, 21:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalem

Best part is that you KNOW that, being Aussies, some scientists were just stumbling drunkenly around a lab somewhere when they accidentally tripped and combined all those elements.

-dale

Alot of what we have came by accident. It wouldn't surprise me.

MIKEMUN · 05-03-2005, 23:48 PM

Why is the thread in the American Forum?

Confed999 · 05-04-2005, 00:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIKEMUN

Why is the thread in the American Forum?

Ummmm.... 'Cuz we're kewler than everyone else, so the Aussies couldn't have done this without us in some way.

You're right it should be in the science/tech section... *snaps fingers*

barrowaj · 05-04-2005, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Confed999

Alot of what we have came by accident. It wouldn't surprise me.

True. Take penicillin for example. Probably the most important medical discovery of the century, possibly of all of human history.

Ziska · 05-04-2005, 02:18 AM

.... and discovered by an aussie

FlyingCaddy · 05-09-2005, 17:14 PM

By allowing his cultures to be tained on accident, a terrible following of procedure, fortunatly he realized the taining was something worth investigation.

Jonathan Locke · 05-13-2005, 20:39 PM

It is an algorithm and crytptology law that no code is unbreakable. If a hacker does interrupt the photon beam, and the communication does become corrupted, making the sender and receiver both aware that they are being tapped, does not make the code unbreakable. Any algorithm is bound to have an answer, that's a fact. What you are probably trying to say is that since both the receiver and sender are aware of the hacker, now people will always now when they are being overheard.

dalem · 05-13-2005, 22:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Locke

It is an algorithm and crytptology law that no code is unbreakable. If a hacker does interrupt the photon beam, and the communication does become corrupted, making the sender and receiver both aware that they are being tapped, does not make the code unbreakable. Any algorithm is bound to have an answer, that's a fact. What you are probably trying to say is that since both the receiver and sender are aware of the hacker, now people will always now when they are being overheard.

Actually the key is in the fact that it is not a breakthrough in code, it is a breakthrough in transmission technology.

-dale

Jonathan Locke · 05-14-2005, 13:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalem

Actually the key is in the fact that it is not a breakthrough in code, it is a breakthrough in transmission technology.

-dale

The "key" of the article doesn't matter, the point is that the code is not unbreakable as stated in this thread's title.

dalem · 05-14-2005, 17:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan Locke

The "key" of the article doesn't matter, the point is that the code is not unbreakable as stated in this thread's title.

Right. Pretty much what I said.

-dale

05-03-2005, 23:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
MIKEMUN Contributor Join Date: 01-13-05 Posts: 467	Why is the thread in the American Forum? __________________ "They want to test our feelings.They want to know whether Muslims are extremists or not. Death to them and their newspapers." Protester

05-04-2005, 02:18 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ziska Contributor Join Date: 09-03-03 Location: Northern Tasmania Posts: 412	.... and discovered by an aussie __________________ SWANSEA 'TILL I DIE! - CARN THE CROWS! Rule Britannia, No Surrender Staff Cadet in the Australian Army Reserve. Soli Deo Gloria

05-13-2005, 20:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jonathan Locke Contributor Join Date: 02-11-05 Location: Maryland, United States Posts: 316	It is an algorithm and crytptology law that no code is unbreakable. If a hacker does interrupt the photon beam, and the communication does become corrupted, making the sender and receiver both aware that they are being tapped, does not make the code unbreakable. Any algorithm is bound to have an answer, that's a fact. What you are probably trying to say is that since both the receiver and sender are aware of the hacker, now people will always now when they are being overheard. __________________ Remember, the enemy gate is down- Andrew ¨Ender¨ Wiggin

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05-03-2005, 17:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
dalem Lord High Hullabalooster *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 11-23-04 Location: Columbia Heights, MN Posts: 8,323 Country:	Best part is that you KNOW that, being Aussies, some scientists were just stumbling drunkenly around a lab somewhere when they accidentally tripped and combined all those elements. -dale

05-09-2005, 17:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
FlyingCaddy Patron Join Date: 02-13-05 Posts: 247	By allowing his cultures to be tained on accident, a terrible following of procedure, fortunatly he realized the taining was something worth investigation.

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