Quantum-proof

All this means that quantum-proofing the internet is shaping up to be an expensive, protracted and probably incomplete job.

Finally, enterprises should implement a migration path to begin quantum-proofing their existing technology and retiring technology not built to support post-quantum algorithms.

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology is in the process of evaluating new encryption systems that could be rolled out to quantum-proof the internet.

Researchers and government intelligence agencies are scrambling to develop quantum-proof encryption techniques, but figuring out how to export these techniques to the uniquely hostile space environment has proven difficult.

Quantum-proof encryption uses algorithms that cannot be cracked by any computer, regardless of how fast it is.

In the UK, all government data classified as "top secret" is already "post-quantum" - that is, using new forms of encryption which researchers hope will be quantum-proof.