The cryptocurrency market has been growing steadily in recent years, with more institutions participating in crypto-related activities. However, this growth also brings new security risks, particularly in the area of inter-institutional communication.
According to Andrew Gault, CEO of ZeroTier, attackers are already intercepting and storing encrypted network traffic flowing between exchanges and institutions. This technique, known as 'harvest now, decrypt later,' exploits the fact that classical computers may not be able to break encryption but quantum computers can.
The 'harvest now' part of this method is particularly insidious because it allows attackers to collect sensitive information without being detected. This data can then be stored and used later when a quantum computer becomes powerful enough to decrypt it.
Experts warn that this method is already being used by state actors and sophisticated cybercrime operations, which raises concerns about the security of the crypto market. The 'harvest now' technique highlights the need for post-quantum defense measures to be implemented as soon as possible.