Shor’s Algorithm and the Cryptographic Threat Ahead

This episode unpacks Peter Shor’s polynomial‑time factorization algorithm, tracing how it turns modular arithmetic into a period‑finding problem solved by quantum superposition and interference. We examine the practical engineering barriers—error‑correction overhead, circuit depth, and qubit lifetimes—that keep a real‐world attack many years away, while exploring post‑quantum strategies and the business and policy responses that are already unfolding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices