Why Public-Private Partnership Can Spur QKD Adoption In The U.S.

Innovation Why Public-Private Partnership Can Spur QKD Adoption In The U. S. John Prisco Forbes Councils Member Forbes Technology Council COUNCIL POST Expertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license.

Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based) Jul 27, 2022, 09:15am EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Security CEO and Founder of Safe Quantum Inc. , working with data-driven companies to define, develop and deploy quantum-safe technologies.

getty When it comes to quantum security, one thing that you can count on is that there will be at least two sides to the equation. For example, the National Science Foundation is an ardent supporter of quantum research, investing millions of dollars in finding commercial business and security applications of the technology. An encryption technology called Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is gaining early traction .

Using QKD, two parties can create a shared random “key” to encrypt and decrypt messages, i. e. , data communication sent through a designed fiberoptic cable.

QKD is a relatively low-cost way to take advantage of quantum-level security protection now, as opposed to waiting until a full quantum internet is viable or that quantum computing hardware becomes more manageable in size and temperature requirements. On the other side of the quantum security conversation, the National Security Agency (NSA) and its National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) are focused on mathematics-based encryption standards, as I explained in a previous article, “ To QKD or Not to QKD: What Quantum Key Distribution Means for Business . ” MORE FOR YOU Google Issues Warning For 2 Billion Chrome Users Forget The MacBook Pro, Apple Has Bigger Plans Google Discounts Pixel 6, Nest & Pixel Buds In Limited-Time Sale Event To be specific, NSA believes that, without authentication, there is no way to verify that cryptographic security keys used in QKD have not been compromised in transit, as they travel from origination to destination.

But there’s a potential solution: It’s possible to digitally sign a quantum key with one of the new post-quantum encryption digital signatures currently being evaluated by NIST. This post-quantum cryptography (PQC) or security is a mathematical algorithmic approach to safeguarding cryptographic keys from being factored or solved by a future quantum computer. Corporate technology innovators working hand-in-hand with NIST could explore using the NIST-standard mathematical algorithm as the designated authentication method for QKD.

With that stamp of approval, this combination of quantum keys and mathematical encryption could have immediate applications. It could be deployed in settings such as cloud data centers , providing secure access to data from customer premises via existing fiber cables. QKD could be used as part of time-sensitive network security, providing command-and-control security for critical infrastructure networks such as electrical and utility grids .

There are already commercial trials demonstrating the use of QKD hardware in metropolitan environments. In London, BT is working alongside Japanese QKD maker Toshiba (who I have consulted for in the past) and German tech company ADVA to develop a three-node exchange ring in London, calling it a quantum-secured metro network (QSMN). In the London QSMN, BT supplies the fiber connectivity, Toshiba the QKD hardware and ADVA the Optical Spectrum Access Filter Connect (OSA FC) solution used as infrastructure.

The result has been a QKD- and fiber-linked network that provides secure, virtually unbreakable communication of data. What makes this live-world testbed so interesting is that it is built on standard, available fiber infrastructure with commercial hardware. And it’s working to deliver quantum-proof security today.

If business partnered directly with NSA and NIST in quantum testbeds in the United States, QKD could present the opportunity to begin to understand the hardware and software implications of a commercial quantum application—experience that could provide a competitive leg up on the competition when the technology enters the mainstream. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify? Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

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