Stealthy SWAPs: Adversarial SWAP Injection in Multi-Tenant Quantum Computing

Quantum computing (QC) holds tremendous promise in revolutionizing problem-solving across various domains. It has been suggested in literature that 50+ qubits are sufficient to achieve quantum advantage (i.e., to surpass supercomputers in solving certain class of optimization problems).The hardware size of existing Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) computers have been ever increasing over the years. Therefore, Multi-tenant computing (MTC) has emerged as a potential solution for efficient hardware utilization, enabling shared resource access among multiple quantum programs. However, MTC can also bring new security concerns. This paper proposes one such threat for MTC in superconducting quantum hardware i.e., adversarial SWAP gate injection in victims program during compilation for MTC. We present a representative scheduler designed for optimal resource allocation. To demonstrate the impact of this attack model, we conduct a detailed case study using a sample scheduler. Exhaustive experiments on circuits with varying depths and qubits offer valuable insights into the repercussions of these attacks. We report a max of approximately 55 percent and a median increase of approximately 25 percent in SWAP overhead. As a countermeasure, we also propose a sample machine learning model for detecting any abnormal user behavior and priority adjustment.Comment: 7 pages, VLSI

Designing Hash and Encryption Engines using Quantum Computing

Quantum computing (QC) holds the promise of revolutionizing problem-solving by exploiting quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement. It offers exponential speed-ups across various domains, from machine learning and security to drug discovery and optimization. In parallel, quantum encryption and key distribution have garnered substantial interest, leveraging quantum engines to enhance cryptographic techniques. Classical cryptography faces imminent threats from quantum computing, exemplified by Shors algorithms capacity to breach established encryption schemes. However, quantum circuits and algorithms, capitalizing on superposition and entanglement, offer innovative avenues for enhancing security. In this paper we explore quantum-based hash functions and encryption to fortify data security. Quantum hash functions and encryption can have numerous potential application cases, such as password storage, digital signatures, cryptography, anti-tampering etc. The integration of quantum and classical methods demonstrates potential in securing data in the era of quantum computing.Comment: 6 pages, VLSID Special sessio