Swiss startup Terra Quantum announced today it has landed a contract to embark on a study with the US Air Force for a network utilising post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution, and quantum random number generators.
Terra Quantum is the recipient of a grant from the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) fund for technologies with applications for the defence industry. The aim of the specific project is to create a long-range, ultra-secure communication network that will be virtually unhackable even as quantum computing technologies progress.
The news comes as the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is getting ready to publish its much-anticipated post-quantum cryptography standards. These are intended to protect the communications of businesses and other organisations (such as the military) from malevolent wielders of future powerful quantum computers that could otherwise hack into the systems. They will also be obligatory for US federal government departments, as well as for government contractors.
The contract awarded by the US Air Force to Terra Quantum is another indication of how seriously the US is taking the threat from the projected encryption-breaking capabilities of quantum computers. Or, in the words of the director of research for National Security Agency (NSA), Gil Herrera, in the event of an adversary reaching quantum advantage first, the country could be “really screwed.”
The post-quantum momentum
Terra Quantum is a full-stack quantum as a service (QaaS) company based out of St Gallen, Switzerland. Founded in 2019, it offers services in quantum algorithms, computing, and security.
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When fully developed, quantum computers are expected to be able to break most of the cryptographic systems currently in use. Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) are proactive cryptographic algorithms and protocols designed to withstand attacks from these hypothetical machines.
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a form of communication that utilises quantum mechanics to allow users to share a random, secret key to pass on information. It is also impossible to “listen in” on the transmission without disturbing the quantum states, thus notifying the parties that someone is trying to gain access. As such, the technology is what Dutch QKD specialist Q*bird describes as “untappable.” Terra Quantum currently holds a world record for transmitting quantum keys after distributing them across a distance of over 1,707 km.
Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) leverage quantum mechanics to generate random numbers. Unlike classical random number generators (RNGs), which rely on algorithms and produce pseudo-random numbers, QRNGs use the unpredictability of quantum processes to produce genuinely random numbers. Naturally, this ensures high security for cryptographic keys.
“The world faces ever-increasing cybersecurity attacks that threaten our critical infrastructure. The provided solutions help protect sensitive data and set new industry standards for quantum-secure communication,” said Markus Pflitsch, CEO of Terra Quantum. He further added that the project would also show the advantages of combining multiple technologies to build secure networks.
Global race to combat hypothetical threat
It’s not just the US rushing to get quantum-ready. European telecom providers have also begun to show an interest in quantum-secure communications. Rotterdam, the continent’s largest port, has launched a QKD trial. And the European Commission in April this year outlined a strategic roadmap for post-quantum cryptography.
In the UK, PQShield, a PQC startup based in Oxford, which consulted on all the previously mentioned NIST standards, recently raised $37mn in Series B funding. Big tech is also doing its best to stay ahead of the game. In February, Apple announced it had implemented “state-of-the-art” post-quantum cryptographic protocol PQ3 for iMessage, and Meta said in May it had commenced a “multi-year” effort to migrate to PQC.
As always, it is difficult to say exactly what China is getting up to in the quantum realm, but it is safe to say the country’s scientists are hard at work quantum-securing its digital infrastructure.
The “post-quantum” and “quantum-secure” labels are gathering both commercial and strategic momentum. Quantum computers might not be all that powerful yet — but we better get ready for when they will be.
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