The United States stopped QKD, but Europe is accelerating the construction of quantum secure communication network

The US National Security Agency (NSA) has publicly stated in the report that quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum cryptography are not recommended to ensure data transmission in the National Security System (NSS). Some people criticize China's investment in quantum key distribution on the basis of this, but in fact, in addition to China, European countries led by Britain and Germany are also accelerating the construction of quantum secure communication networks.

 

On April 26, British Telecom (BT), Toshiba and consulting firm Ernst & Young announced the launch of the first commercial quantum-safe metro network (QKD-based) trial; at the same time, Schleswig-Holstein Netz, one of the largest grid operators in northern Germany, announced For the first time, a complete commercial solution is used to encrypt data across aerial optical cables with QKD-based key exchange.

 

 Establish  commercial quantum security metropolitan area network in UK

In October 2021, BT and Toshiba announced a commitment to create a pilot network: BT will operate the network, offering a range of quantum-safe services (including dedicated high-bandwidth end-to-end encrypted link packages delivered over Openreach's private fiber-optic network); Toshiba will Provides quantum key distribution hardware and key management software. In this experimental network, QKD keys will be combined with public key-based encryption built-in Ethernet security, which will enable the resulting keys to be used to encrypt data.

 

Howard Watson (left), CTO of BT, and Shunsuke Okada (right), Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Toshiba Corporation.

 

Preparation, technical deployment and testing of the network to begin in late 2021: including deploying equipment in racks, adding security systems and resiliency testing, and finally running and optimizing the network; technical collaboration for the network in Suffolk, UK BT "Adastrar Park labs" (Adastrar Park labs) and Toshiba's quantum technology business units in Tokyo, Japan and Cambridge, UK, Toshiba has developed and manufactured quantum key distribution technology.

 

On April 26, 2022, the network was officially launched: it has been running since the beginning of April and will run for an initial period of up to three years. In addition to this, BT Group expects its investments in quantum communications to generate revenue within 18 months. "The future customers of this network may include the UK government and banks," Howard Watson said, adding that BT also met with the UK's Department for International Trade and financial institutions earlier on Tuesday.

 

This infrastructure will be able to connect many customers in London, helping them transfer valuable data and information between multiple physical locations via standard fibre-optic links using quantum key distribution (QKD). QKD is an important technology that plays an important role in using quantum computing to protect networks and data from emerging threats of cyberattacks; the London network is also a key step in realizing the UK government's strategy to become a quantum economy.

 

 

The network's first commercial customer, Ernst & Young (EY), will use the network to connect its two London sites: one in Canary Wharf and the other near London Bridge. It will demonstrate how using QKD to secure data transfers between sites, and will demonstrate the benefits the network brings to its own customers.

 

Howard Watson, Chief Technology Officer at BT, commented: "Quantum technologies promise to have a profound impact on how societies and businesses operate in the future, but they are complex to understand, develop and build: particularly ensuring that end-to-end services are designed to meet the market's stringent security requirements. request. I am very proud that BT and Toshiba have successfully joined forces to provide this unique network and that Ernst & Young has become our first trial customer as we are making further commercial explorations of quantum technology and its future business and pave the way for social applications.”

 

Toshiba Corporation Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Shunsuke Okada commented: "Both Toshiba and BT have demonstrated world-class technology development and leadership through decades of innovation and operations. Combining BT's leadership in networking technology and Toshiba With leadership in quantum technology, this network will enable businesses across London to benefit from quantum-secure communications for the first time."

 

Praveen Shankar, Managing Partner, Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT), EY UK & Ireland, commented: “Quantum technologies create significant new opportunities for business, but also potential risks. Quantum-secure data transmission represents a great way to protect data. The next big leap, an essential part of doing business in the digital economy. Our partnership with two of the world's leading technology innovators will allow us to demonstrate the power of quantum to EY and our clients."

 

The London Network represents an important step towards building a national network of quantum-secure communications that will spur growth in the UK's quantum-ready economy.

 

Responding to this technological vision, Watson said: "This is an important moment in the UK's journey towards the quantum economy, but we are not there yet. We need a further commitment to investment to expand access to the technologies that will help this new economy. Research in quantum technologies, including quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum communications. We look forward to working with UK government and industry partners to continue the momentum that BT has already started, and in doing so support the UK’s quantum strategy.”

 

Complete the field test of quantum security data transmission in Germany

ADVA announced that Schleswig-Holstein Netz, one of the largest grid operators in northern Germany, has successfully completed a field trial of quantum-secure data transmission using the ADVA FSP 3000 platform with ConnectGuard™ Layer 1 encryption technology.

 

ADVA's encryption technology played a vital role in this QKD trial.

 

This is the first time in Germany that a complete commercial solution has been used to encrypt data across aerial optical cables with a key exchange based on quantum key distribution (QKD).

 

The proof-of-concept (PoC) is also part of the EU OPENQKD project, which aims to realize a pan-European QKD network addressing applications based on fibre and satellite communication infrastructure, which created several testbeds and demonstrated many use cases , laying the foundation for a pan-European quantum network.

 

Until now, ensuring QKD performance in the harsh outdoor conditions of overhead fiber was considered a major hurdle. The trial shows that mission-critical utility networks can now deal with the imminent threat of attack from quantum computers. The technology of ADVA's partner, ID Quantique, also played an important role in generating QKD keys.

 

"The advent of large quantum computers will compromise mission-critical networks in unprecedented ways. That's why we're taking action now to trial technologies to protect electrical infrastructure in the long term," said Benjamin Merkt, CTO of Schleswig-Holstein Netz. "We The success of the PoC with ADVA security solutions is a key breakthrough in securing utility networks with QKD. We have shown that grids like ours using overhead fiber optic cables extending over hundreds of kilometers can be protected even in harsh weather conditions It is immune to quantum hackers. This is an important step towards guaranteeing the integrity and security of critical data transmissions in today's and post-quantum world."

 

QKD distributes encryption keys in a quantum state, ensuring that any attempt to intercept traffic will interfere with photons, introduce coding errors and alert operators. Implementing the technology in electrical infrastructure is challenging because most utility communication networks are combined with long-distance high-voltage overhead lines. Since the performance of QKDs is easily affected by environmental factors, stability was a key criterion in the experiments at Schleswig-Holstein Netz. The configuration has proven to be stable and suitable for use with overhead fiber, and the success of the ADVA solution points the way for a quantum-safe public network.

 

"This PoC demonstrates that QKD-based encryption is achievable in such network architectures," commented Helmut Griesser, Director of Advanced Technologies at ADVA, "even though the fiber is integrated with 110kV overhead lines and is protected from wind, solar radiation and thunderstorms. , our solution was also successful. Working closely with Schleswig-Holstein Netz and partner ID Quantique, we have been able to demonstrate that QKD can play an important role in securing utilities. And we have shown that our FSP 3000 ConnectGuard™ encryption technology has The ability to protect our most sensitive and important assets from cybercriminals, even in the age of quantum computers.”

 

About British Telecom

 

BT Group is the UK's leading telecommunications and network provider and a leading global provider of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its main activities in the UK include fixed voice, mobile, broadband and TV (including sports) and a range of products and services to consumer, business and public sector customers through converged fixed and mobile networks. For its global clients, BT provides managed services, security and network and IT infrastructure services to support its operations around the world.

 

About Toshiba

 

Toshiba Corporation leads a global group of companies that combines more than 140 years of knowledge and capabilities in a wide range of businesses, from energy and social infrastructure to electronic devices, with world-class capabilities in information processing, digital and artificial intelligence technologies. These unique strengths support Toshiba's continued growth as an infrastructure services company that promotes data utilization and digitization, and one of the world's leading cyber-physical systems technology companies.

 

About Ernst & Young

 

EY teams work across audit, advisory, legal, strategy, tax and transactions to ask better questions and find new answers to the complex issues facing the world today. Backed by data and technology, EY's diverse teams in more than 150 countries deliver trust through assurances and help clients grow, transform and operate.

 

About ADVA

 

ADVA is an innovation-based company focused on helping clients succeed. Technology components include sharing the cornerstone of the digital future and enabling the world's networks; developing breakthrough hardware and software to lead the networking industry and create new business opportunities; enabling customers to provide cloud and mobile services that are critical to today's society , and together build a truly connected and sustainable future.

 

About ID Quantique

 

Founded in 2001 as a branch of the Applied Physics team at the University of Geneva, ID Quantique is today a global leader in quantum-safe encryption solutions designed to protect data for the future. The company provides quantum-safe network encryption, secure quantum key generation and quantum key distribution solutions and services to the global financial industry, businesses and government organizations. IDQ's quantum random number generators have been validated against global standards and independent bodies and are the benchmark in highly regulated and mission-critical industries such as security, encryption, critical infrastructure and IoT.

 

Link:

[1] https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/bt-and-toshiba-launch-first-commercial-trial-of-quantum-secured-communication-services-359371.shtml

[2]https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220425005727/en/Schleswig-Holstein-Netz-tests-quantum-secured-transport-over-aerial-fiber-with-ADVA

[3] https://www.thefastmode.com/technology-solutions/24513-bt-toshiba-launches-world-first-commercial-quantum-secured-metro-network

[4] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-26/bt-eyes-big-quantum-sales-after-ey-joins-trial-with-toshiba

[5] https://www.reuters.com/business/bt-toshiba-trial-first-commercial-quantum-secured-network-2022-04-26/