Adva Network Security and Quantum Optics Jena demonstrated entanglement-based quantum key distribution (QKD) technology to establish a secure optical communication channel between data centers owned and operated by the Thüringer Landesrechenzentrum (TLRZ), the IT service provider for the state’s administration in Thuringia.
Adva Network Security said that by delivering quantum-secured keys to the encryptor of the high-bitrate optical channel, the team was able to show how data traffic could resist quantum attacks on the link between the data centers. The demo represents a significant leap forward for quantum-safe communications made in Germany and is a crucial step toward bolstering critical infrastructure security to protect against the real and impending threat quantum computers pose to private data.
The field trial leveraged Quantum Optics Jena’s entanglement-based QKD technology and Adva Network Security’s ConnectGuard Layer 1 technology to demonstrate a consistent quantum-secure connection between TLRZ data centers. Using the unique properties of quantum entanglement, the system generates a secure method for key exchange impervious to data interception. During one day of operation, the system sends over 20 billion entangled photons and creates 11.84 million secure bits to generate more than 46,000 256-bit keys for encryption services like Adva Network Security’s Layer 1 encryption. The keys generated by the QKD system will always remain secure, even if a potential attacker attempts to interfere with or eavesdrop on the entangled quantum states during transmission. Adva Network Security’s Layer 1 encryption technology ensures comprehensive protection for all network layers and operates with line speeds of 10Gbit/s or 100Gbit/s.
“Quantum computers may soon render traditional encryption methods obsolete, making safeguarding sensitive data an urgent priority for governments the world over,” said Kevin Füchsel, CEO at Quantum Optics Jena. “With our field trial, we’re demonstrating just how effective our innovative entanglement-based QKD system, ELVIS, is at securing data in transit. What’s more, Adva Network Security’s ConnectGuard™ encryption technology enables our solution to function effectively over DCI links, significantly enhancing data integrity for sectors including government, defense, healthcare and financial services. Our combined product offering made in Germany is the world’s most mature and robust solution for securing optical communications.”
“As quantum computer technology evolves, vast amounts of currently unbreakable encrypted information will become vulnerable to hackers,” noted Michael Roth, GM of Adva Network Security. “That’s why this trial is so crucial. Working together with Quantum Optics Jena, we’ve demonstrated how our technology can be embedded within communications networks to secure the most highly-sensitive data of financial institutions, defense organizations, healthcare and many other sectors. Our standardized key exchange protocol assured seamless integration with the QKD technology from Quantum Optics Jena, showing how easy it is to upgrade our security solution to QKD and highlighting the future-proof nature of our products.”
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