In a world of constant digital progress, where cybersecurity threats are becoming increasingly complex, there is a need for the latest innovations to ensure reliable protection of important data. In this context, ETH Zurich scientists have developed a breakthrough method of creating passwords based on DNA that guarantees unsurpassed security, suitable for even the most advanced quantum computing systems.
According to a report from TechXplore, the new technology offers a unique approach to data processing by replacing traditional arithmetic operations with the chemical building blocks of DNA. This idea is to create a physical system that even the most powerful quantum computers cannot decipher due to the peculiarities of its structure.
Unlike classical passwords that are based on numbers and symbols, this approach is based on a pool of 100 million DNA molecules, each of which contains two segments for input and output values. The function easily calculates the output value from the input value, but the reverse conversion is almost impossible.
For authentication, PCR is used to find the corresponding DNA molecules according to the entered “key”. If a match is found, the PCR reads the output value, which can be used for further verification.
The main advantage of this approach is that quantum computers cannot hack this system due to the extremely complex structure of DNA molecules, which makes it impossible to falsify them. Biochemical defense opens up new application possibilities for protecting a variety of objects, including computers, smartphones, and other physical objects.
Scientists note that the production of DNA molecules with built-in randomness is a relatively cheap procedure, and the cost of making such a pool is almost no more than one Swiss franc. Although DNA sequencing to read the output values requires additional time and money, many biological laboratories already have the necessary equipment.
ETH Zurich has even applied for a patent for this technology in order to further optimize it and introduce it to the market.
