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The Power of Chaos: A Robust and Low-Cost Cryptosystem for the Post-Quantum Era

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Fast algorithms on quantum computers could easily break many widely used cryptosystems, necessitating more innovative solutions for digital security.

In a recent study, a team of scientists designed a stream cipher consisting of three cryptographic primitives based on independent mathematical models of chaos.

The resulting cryptographic approach is robust to attacks from large-scale quantum computers and can be implemented on low-cost computers, paving the way to secure digital communications in the post-quantum era.

While for most of us cryptographic systems are things that just run “under the hood,” they are an essential element in the world of digital communications.

However, the upcoming rise of quantum computers could shake the field of cryptography to its core. Fast algorithms running on these machines could break some of the most widely used cryptosystems, rendering them vulnerable.

Well aware of this looming threat, cryptography researchers worldwide are working on novel encryption methods that can withstand attacks from quantum computers.

Chaos theory is actively being studied as a basis for post-quantum era cryptosystems. In mathematics, chaos is a property of certain dynamic systems that makes them extremely sensitive to initial conditions.

While technically deterministic (non-random), these systems evolve in such complex ways that predicting their long-term state with incomplete information is practically impossible, since even small rounding errors in the initial conditions yield diverging results.

This unique characteristic of chaotic systems can be leveraged to produce highly secure cryptographic systems, as a team of researchers from Ritsumeikan University, Japan, showed in a recent study published in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I.

Led by Professor Takaya Miyano, the team developed an unprecedented stream cipher consisting of three cryptographic primitives based on independent mathematical models of chaos.

The first primitive is a pseudorandom number generator based on the augmented Lorenz (AL) map. The pseudorandom numbers produced using this approach are used to create key streams for encrypting/decrypting messages, which take the stage in the second and perhaps most remarkable primitive—an innovative method for secret-key exchange.

This novel strategy for exchanging secret keys specifying the AL map is based on the synchronization of two chaotic Lorenz oscillators, which can be independently and randomly initialized by the two communicating users, without either of them knowing the state of the other’s oscillator.

To conceal the internal states of these oscillators, the communicating users (the sender and the receiver) mask the value of one of the variables of their oscillator by multiplying it with a locally generated random number.

The masked value of the sender is then sent to receiver and vice-versa. After a short time, when these back-and-forth exchanges cause both oscillators to sync up almost perfectly to the same state in spite of the randomization of the variables, the users can mask and exchange secret keys and then locally unmask them with simple calculations.

Finally, the third primitive is a hash function based on the logistic map (a chaotic equation of motion), which allows the sender to send a hash value and, in turn, allows the receiver to ensure that the received secret key is correct, i.e., the chaotic oscillators were synchronized properly.

The researchers showed that a stream cipher assembled using these three primitives is extremely secure and resistant to statistical attacks and eavesdropping since it is mathematically impossible to synchronize their own oscillator to either the sender’s or the receiver’s ones.

This is an unprecedented achievement, as Prof. Miyano states: “Most chaos-based cryptosystems can be broken by attacks using classical computers within a practically short time. In contrast, our methods, especially the one for secret-key exchange, appear to be robust against such attacks and, more importantly, even hard to break using quantum computers.”

In addition to its security, the proposed key exchange method is applicable to existing block ciphers, such as the widely used Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Moreover, the researchers could implement their chaos-based stream cipher on the Raspberry Pi 4, a small-scale computer, using Python 3.8.

They even used it to securely transmit a famous painting by Johannes Vermeer between Kusatsu and Sendai, two places in Japan 600 km apart. “The implementation and running costs of our cryptosystem are remarkably low compared with those of quantum cryptography,” highlights Prof. Miyano, “Our work thus provides a cryptographic approach that guarantees the privacy of daily communications between people all over the world in the post-quantum era.”

With such power of chaos-based cryptography, we may not have much to worry about the dark sides of quantum computing.


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NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral online flyer claiming that a free portal has been opened for the correction of National Identification Number (NIN) data.

NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission described the flyer as fake and cautioned the public against using any links associated with it.

“The public is hereby advised not to use the above for modifying their NIN data. All modifications should only be done via the official channel,” NIMC stated, directing users to its authorised self-service portal.

The misleading flyer, which has circulated widely on social media, carries the logos of NIMC and the federal government, falsely claiming that authorities had launched a special correction portal in response to a “high level of complain.”

It lists services such as name, gender, and date of birth corrections, and provides links redirecting users to a suspicious “gvly.xyz” domain—an address the commission says is not affiliated with any government platform.

NIMC noted that the flyer has since been marked “FAKE” in red, indicating it is being recirculated as part of efforts to debunk the misinformation.

The Commission reiterated that all NIN data modifications can only be carried out through its official self-service platform, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to online scams.


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Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa’s $50Bn Restaurant Sector

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Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint” or the “Company”), Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform for individuals, businesses and their customers, today announced the acquisition of Orda Africa (“Orda”), a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria.

Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa's $50bn Restaurant Sector

Moniepoint

Under the terms of this acquisition, Orda will become part of the Moniebook platform, Moniepoint’s all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform. Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.

With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimize performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.

The acquisition comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73% annually. With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.

Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, today Moniepoint has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading distributors of financial services as well as a trusted platform for many of the country’s MSMEs especially in the informal sector.

The company has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over US$250 billion in digital payments transaction value annually.

Tosin Eniolorunda, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., said: “The food industry isn’t just about feeding people, it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent.

Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools. By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business. Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential and that’s exactly what we’ve built here.”

Founded in 2020, Orda was built to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.

Guy Futi, CEO of Orda, reassured existing customers: “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.

“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities.

“Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before”

Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.

This move represents a demonstrated commitment to building a dedicated financial infrastructure designed around the unique complexity of Africa’s food economy.

For the millions of food entrepreneurs across the continent, from the everyday buka owner to the high-end restaurateur, this acquisition means less time managing multiple tools or carrying out arduous manual work and more time doing what they do best – feeding Africa.


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Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

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More than 45,000 jobs have been cut across the global technology sector in the first few months of 2026, according to data from RationalFX, signalling that the industry is still adjusting after a period of aggressive hiring rather than returning to a full growth phase.

Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

“In 2025, automation, artificial intelligence, and sustained cost-discipline measures drove much of the downsizing, with entire departments restructured or eliminated in favour of leaner, AI-assisted workflows. This trend has continued full steam into 2026,” said Alan Cohen, analyst at RationalFX.

According to the report, if the current rate of redundancies is sustained, total layoffs in 2026 could surpass the 245,000 recorded in 2025.

The majority of these layoffs have been concentrated in the United States, with major companies continuing to trim their workforce despite stable core operations.

Amazon has announced approximately 16,000 job cuts this year, while Block has also reduced thousands of roles as it tightens operations and shifts focus towards artificial intelligence.

There are indications that further reductions may follow.

Meta is reportedly considering additional layoffs as it increases investment in AI infrastructure, while PayPal and Klarna are reassessing spending and hiring strategies amid ongoing uncertainty.

Established technology firms are also undergoing restructuring. Dell has reduced its workforce by around 11,000 over the past year as part of a broader reorganisation, while Salesforce has cut approximately 1,000 roles in 2026 while aligning its teams more closely with AI-driven products.

Outside the United States, layoffs have been smaller in scale but more geographically dispersed.

Australia has reported around 2,650 job cuts so far this year, followed by Sweden with roughly 1,923 and Netherlands with about 1,700.

Other markets have also been affected. Israel and India have recorded approximately 1,539 and 1,520 layoffs respectively, with Israel’s startup ecosystem particularly sensitive to tighter funding conditions, while in India, both startups and larger IT firms have reduced headcount as global client spending slows.

In Singapore, around 1,016 layoffs have been reported, reflecting a softer hiring environment across Asia’s major technology hubs, where companies are adopting a more cautious approach amid uneven demand.

Across Europe, job cuts have been comparatively limited but still noticeable.

The United Kingdom has recorded around 1,000 layoffs, while Czech Republic and Germany have seen smaller reductions.

The broader trend suggests that technology companies are shifting towards leaner operations and more defined priorities following years of expansion. Increasing investment in automation and artificial intelligence is also reshaping the types of roles in demand.

For employees, the impact is becoming increasingly visible, with hiring slowing and becoming more selective. While opportunities remain, companies are taking a more measured approach to recruitment compared to the rapid expansion seen in previous years.

 

Further credit… .storyboard18.com

 


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