The Quantum Delta NL program is making steady progress. The consortium behind this quantum encryption tech is going to add new endpoints connecting to the Eurofiber data center. As a result, the network for quantum-safe communication is once again expanding.
The hope is to eventually provide secure communication for all cargo ships and other traffic. This critical infrastructure must be provided with the strongest possible encryption. After all, the Port of Rotterdam is considered a prime cyber target in the event of a conflict. Attacks by cybercriminals on ports in Australia and Japan already show that this critical infrastructure faces major problems in case of interruptions.
Q*Bird is the only party currently enabling a scalable Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) network. QKD ensures that communications are “untappable” because both communicators will be notified immediately when a message is intercepted. Only messages that arrive encrypted can be read.
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Consortium
The number of parties involved is substantial. The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Portbase use the system on a daily basis, while Q*Bird has teamed up with Single Quantum, Cisco, Eurofiber, Intermax and InnovationQuarter to create the QKD network.
The network expansion focuses on customs and a “number of nautical service providers,” according to the announcement. Subsequent expansions would eventually take place in a relatively simple manner with, in addition, little cost.
Quantum safe closer
Quantum computers are still in the future, but the importance of quantum-secure communications is already not to be underestimated. All the encrypted data that malicious parties currently intercept could possibly be cracked in no time with an eventual quantum computer. Everything from state secrets to highly personal information that today may seem secure would end up on the street via such a”store now decrypt later” scheme.
This isn’t possible with QKD, as its decryption by threat actors is prevented by the laws of quantum mechanics. A new set of keys is generated when an earlier message is intercepted, while a malicious person can never read along undetected.
Also read: Eurofiber and Q*Bird team up to secure digital infrastructure