IBM cautioned world leaders and business industries to be prepared for the emerging quantum computers or risk a "cybersecurity Armageddon" in the next decade.
Speaking during the World Economic Forum in Davos, IBM general manager for Europe Ana Paula Assis that current cybersecurity will not be able to handle the processing power of quantum computers.
According to Assis, the technology can bypass existing encryption systems easily thanks to its parallel processing, a more advanced version of the sequential processing most supercomputers use today.
IBM itself is developing its own quantum computer that is expected to arrive as early as 2030.
Other countries like China have been noted to be taking steps on quantum computers as well, bad news for the US amid increasing digital warfare with China.
Also Read: China Spy Agency Employs AI System to Monitor US Officials - Reports
Switzerland Attacked by Russian-Affiliated Hackers
As proof to Assis's warnings, Russian-linked group NoName numerous government websites in Switzerland following the appearance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the WEF.
The National Cyber Security Centre reported that the "was promptly detected" and that experts "took the necessary action" to restore the affected platforms quickly.
The NCSC noted that the hacker group used a distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack to disrupt the government websites temporarily.
This was the second time NoName targeted Switzerland in the past 12 months. A similar incident happened back in June when Zelensky met with the Swiss government via video call.
More Cyberattacks Recorded Amid Political Tensions
Battlefields are not the only place anymore where countries clash with each other during political disputes.
Last year has seen an increase in cyberattacks against government facilities and services, many of which were linked to Chinese- or Russian-backed hackers.
The arrival of super technologies like quantum computers further heightens the threat posed by hackers both to the government and to the public.
US lawmakers have already passed a bill to address the growing threat brought by the supercomputer in the coming decades.
Related Article: What to Know About Ransomware Threats in 2024
