Companies join forces to encourage the use of quantum computing in IIoT

A partnership between Telefónica, IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) and Quside wants to help boost the use of quantum computing in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices with the launch of the Quantum-Safe IoT connection, which makes it possible to add new security and resistance standards to IoT products and thus protect both infrastructures and data from potential quantum attacks.

The initiative is a step forward in the collaboration between Telefónica and IST, which had already announced some achievements, including a secure 5G SIM card using quantum technologies in April 2022. Now, using Quantum-Safe SIM cards for IoT alongside Transport Layer Security (TLS), it will be possible to rely on new cryptographic protocols without the headache of hardware changes. The novelty will also use Quside’s randomisation generator system, which ultimately leads to unpredictability and greater efficiency.

According to the partner companies, the solution will be particularly useful as a first step for industries, especially those using devices with a lifespan of more than 15 years, ensuring secure connections between IoT devices such as smart meters.

In addition, this collaborative effort addresses not only current security challenges, but also future threats that will arise in the post-quantum era, ensuring long-term protection for IoT devices. For example, it will enable Telefónica to offer new quantum security cryptographic services to IoT developers through the GSMA Open Gateway platform, the telecoms industry’s initiative to transform networks into open platforms.

Risk perception

A recent report by DSP Leaders revealed how network operators are reviewing their security strategies to deal with the potential threats that will emerge in the quantum age capable of breaking current encryption standards.

According to the study, some operators are already well advanced in their approaches to secure quantum networks, also known as resilient quantum networks or post-quantum networks, but in general the industry is still dealing with its first decisions about when and how to protect itself.

When asked if they already had a team working on the development or implementation of technologies for secure quantum networks, 47 per cent of respondents said yes and 38 per cent said no; 15 per cent were unsure.

As one of the major challenges facing network operators is deciding which technologies to prioritise in terms of strategy and investment, the survey asked when they should deploy solutions that enable secure quantum networks.

The main conclusion of the study is that there was no clear consensus on when telecoms companies should start working with secure quantum networks, although the majority of respondents believe that this needs to happen within the next five years. A share of 14% said that telecoms companies should implement relevant technologies this year, while 25% cited the period 2025-2026; the same proportion mentioned the range 2027-2028. The option ‘2029 or later’ was chosen by 17 per cent of our respondents, and 1 per cent said that such implementations will never be necessary; 18 per cent said they didn’t know the answer.

Another question addressed who to look to for more information, recommendations or even inspiration. In other words, which suppliers come to mind when it comes to leading offerings for secure quantum networks.

IBM received the most votes (51 per cent), perhaps because it has been involved in quantum computing research and development for decades and also in various secure quantum network initiatives for the telecommunications sector. Nokia came second, attracting votes from 41 per cent of respondents. It is a company with a long history and experience in the field, both through the work carried out at Bell Labs over the last few decades and the solutions offered to the telecoms sector.

Interestingly, the other three companies cited are network operators: BT in the UK (26 per cent), SK Telecom in South Korea (25 per cent) and Vodafone in the UK/Europe (20 per cent). Also noteworthy in the study was the 18 per cent who identified ID Quantique as a leader in the sector, in which SK Telecom has a significant stake. The Swiss company has been developing quantum security solutions for more than two decades and is a partner of many companies in the communications network sector.

The survey also asked respondents to identify other companies that they considered to be leaders in the sector. Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Google, Intel, HPE, Orange, Juniper Networks and Microsoft received several mentions.