Reliably verifying the location of a device connected to the internet or other networks is important for various real-world applications. For instance, it could be valuable for authorizing financial transactions, securing communications and controlling who can access specific databases or services.

Some current methods used to verify a device’s position can be deceived using various techniques, such as GPS spoofing, manipulation of location data and relay attacks. These techniques allow attackers to transmit counterfeit satellite-navigation signals, alter software-reported GPS coordinates or intercept and forward verification messages, respectively.

Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China recently developed a quantum position-verification protocol that could securely and reliably confirm the location of devices in a network. Their protocol, introduced in a paper published in Nature Physics, successfully authenticated a device’s position using two verifiers separated by 2 km (1.2 miles), narrowing its possible location to a range of 74.3 meters (244 feet).