A Repeated Mistake is a Choice: Considering Security Issues and Risks in Quantum Computing from Scratch.

Quantum computing is set to revolutionize the world of software engineering. Currently, quantum paradigms and languages are being developed that are bringing the physical principles of quantum information closer to solving problems in multiple application domains. These paradigms and languages will continue to evolve and bring quantum computing closer to software engineering, and to an increasingly massive use of it. Unfortunately, as quantum software engineering advances in bringing these new capabilities closer to widespread industry exploitation, attackers will turn the spotlight on quantum software vulnerabilities, on what will be the new battlefront in the world of cybersecurity. In this paper, we approach this security from scratch, starting with an introduction to the current state of quantum programming languages. Then, some current hardware limitations are presented and how these affect quantum software engineering. Followed, we make an overview on the analysis of the quantum languages in terms of security together with some of the research made up to date. As a conclusion, we express the necessity to avoid the many times made mistake of not including security considerations from the first steps in the design of computing paradigms. An error that is repeated a second time is not an error; it is, indeed, a choice.