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Company's wall of lava lamps creates 'unhackable' code that protects people on the internet

Company's wall of lava lamps creates 'unhackable' code that protects people on the internet

It's impossible to hack - and you can even participate in it

When it comes to protecting your data, there's a multitude of ways you could likely achieve that - though I imagine lava lamps wasn't your first guess.

As hackers create a variety of methods to access your technological devices - including some very creative ways, let's say -people are having to also find ways to protect their internet information.

An encryption key would be a great start, however, it isn't entirely fool-proof as it all hinges on how easy the code is to get hold of if you're not the intended recipient, because if you have the key then the data is no longer encrypted.

The problem that arises there is that if you are using computers to generate these codes, the machines can start to show patterns in the codes they generate.

So, if you are smart enough to spot a pattern, then you can find a way around this and predict the code, and if you make enough guesses using a predictable pattern which you've observed, then it's possible that one will be correct eventually, and then the game's up.

So, the obvious way to get around this problem is make sure that your encryption codes are as random as is possible.

But how do you go about ensuring this?

Well, encryption company Cloudflare came up with an elegant and effective solution - lava lamps.

Yes, you read that right.

A rather colorful way to protect your data (Cloudflare)
A rather colorful way to protect your data (Cloudflare)

Completely random codes are difficult, but when you look at the movement in a lava lamp, it's never quite the same between any two moments.

Part of what makes them so appealing is how they morph and change in that charming way. This is a random pattern, and more importantly is very unpredictable, which is exactly why Cloudflare use them.

Instagrammer @londonliu_ took to the social media platform to further explain how this works.

She said: "As the lava lamp bubbles move a video camera on the ceiling mirrors their changes to a computer, which converts the randomness into a code that's pretty much un-hackable."

Not only that, but you can even participate in the process.

The strategy makes things infinitely harder for hackers (Instagram / @londonliu_)
The strategy makes things infinitely harder for hackers (Instagram / @londonliu_)

You might think that such important lava lamps would be safely locked away in some bizarre science fiction vault, but in fact, they are open to the public.

The content creator further explained: "It's actually possible to see these lava lamps in person.

"The company actually welcomes visitors because external disturbances like human movement and changes in lighting all work together to make the random code even harder to predict.

"So in a way by standing in front of the lava lamp display, you play a role in making the internet a more secure place."

Featured Image Credit: Cloudflare/Instagram / @‌londonliu_

Topics: News, Technology, US News