RFID tags and other smart chips are used in contactless payments, passports, product tracking and numerous other areas of everyday life. New research involving Georgia Gwinnett College’s Dr. Umar M. Khokhar, associate professor of information technology, finds that future quantum computers could break the lightweight security protocols that protect many of these devices, exposing sensitive data and secret keys. The study also provides engineers with a concrete design blueprint to build next-generation, quantum-resistant microchips to protect global smart device infrastructure before these powerful computers become a reality. PLOS One published the study, "Quantum cryptanalysis of ultralightweight mutual authentication protocols: A Grover’s search model," April 30, 2026.
