Vulnerabilities in the Quantum Core: New Study Warns of Physical Security Risks in Quantum Computing

A groundbreaking study from Pennsylvania State University, published in early 2026, reveals that quantum computers are prone to severe security flaws that extend deep into their physical hardware. Professor Swaroop Ghosh and Suryansh Upadhyay argue that the very features that provide quantum superiority—superposition and entanglement—also create unintended vulnerabilities like "Crosstalk," which hackers could exploit to leak sensitive data or reverse-engineer proprietary algorithms.

The research highlights a critical lack of verification methods for third-party software and compilers used in quantum systems, exposing corporate and personal data to potential theft or manipulation. The authors call for a "ground-up" security approach, urging developers to implement hardware-level noise reduction, circuit-level encryption, and system-level access controls, warning that traditional cybersecurity measures are insufficient for the unique behavior of quantum bits (Qubits).