A security lab is employing engineers to intentionally compromise the chips designed by their own company, a strategy aimed at preparing for potential quantum computing threats. The initiative, led by a veteran engineer who experienced a personal security breach early in his career, focuses on identifying vulnerabilities by simulating attacks from criminals and hostile nation-states.

The engineer, who prefers to remain unnamed for security reasons, recounted an incident in the early 1990s when his credit card PIN was compromised within minutes by security engineers. This experience, he said, highlighted the inherent insecurity of security systems and the potential for devastating breaches. "Most people assume security is about building something that's unbreakable," he explained. "In reality, security is about understanding exactly how something breaks, under what conditions, and how quickly."

At the labs, engineers employ a range of invasive techniques, including measuring power fluctuations, injecting electromagnetic signals, firing lasers, and stripping away layers of silicon to expose vulnerabilities. The goal is to anticipate how malicious actors might exploit weaknesses in the chips.

The rise of quantum computing poses a significant threat to current encryption methods. Quantum computers, with their vastly superior processing power, could potentially break the complex algorithms that protect sensitive data. This has spurred the security industry to develop new, quantum-resistant encryption techniques.

The company believes that proactively attacking its own chips is the most effective way to prepare for the quantum era. By understanding how their products can be compromised, they can develop more robust defenses and ensure the security of their clients' data. The specific types of chips being tested and the company involved were not disclosed due to security concerns. However, the engineer noted that the findings from these tests are being used to inform the design of next-generation security solutions.