Quantum communication and cybersecurity

At QCi, we are designing a platform where multiple quantum cryptographic protocols can operate simultaneously. Our patented quantum protocols eliminate the dependence of classical authentication cryptographic schemes that are vulnerable to quantum algorithms, making us the first company to provide a full solution to replace public-private key encryption.

Quantum communications

Our capabilities in quantum communication involve the transmission of qubits between different nodes in a network via a photon entanglement source, enabling various quantum communication protocols such as quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum authentication (QAuth). 

Quantum cybersecurity

Our capabilities in quantum cybersecurity include authentication via zero-knowledge proof, physical unclonable functions, and high dimensional quantum key exchange protocols. Read on to learn more.

cyber

Authentication for the quantum era

Applications overview

Learn about the various authentication protocols and what they do.

Quantum authentication protocol zero-knowledge proof

Quantum authentication protocol zero-knowledge proof

With pre-shared symmetric keys, QAP-0 allows authentication among communication parties without revealing full or partial keys to third party while avoiding complex computation. QAP-0 security is guaranteed by quantum entanglement properties and Heisenberg’s uncertainty.

Quantum authentication protocol physical unclonable functions

Quantum authentication protocol physical unclonable functions

QAP-PUF provides a mean to verify device integrity and authentication among communication parties. By embedding photonic physical unclonable functions into measurement devices as fingerprints, communication nodes can verify each other identities without third trusted party, without pre-shared keys distribution. Security is guaranteed by infeasibility of cloning PUFs, quantum superposition, and quantum entanglement properties. (patent applied)

High dimensional quantum key exchange protocol

High dimensional quantum key exchange protocol.

QKEP-9 is an entanglement-based quantum key exchange method where quantum keys are high-dimensional, telecom band, suitable in photon starved environment and adaptable to current classical networks. QKEP-9 does not require quantum error correction or third-party key management. Using quantum frequency conversion, quantum systems of QKEP-9 can be room temperature, lightweight, and compact.

Cybersecurity threats

Encryption

Quantum computers will defeat current cryptographic algorithms and decrypt data while it is being transmitted.

Authentication

Quantum computers will defeat authentication algorithms thereby making data transmission vulnerable to being intercepted/diverted or enabling malicious parties to penetrate the communication chain. 

Certificates & digital signatures

An adversary armed with a quantum computer can easily forge digital signatures and fake certificates. 

Cryptographic hash functions

Cryptographic hash functions are often used to secure communications. However, quantum computers will be able to defeat this approach by implementing fast search algorithms. 

Entropy of encryption keys

A vital ingredient in all cryptographic algorithms is random numbers. Random number generators are used to produce encryption keys. Increasing the randomness/entropy of is essential to the future of secure communications. 

Privacy-preserving computing

The security intrusions posed by the ability of quantum computers to crack both encryption and authentication protocols will invalidate the premises on which privacy-preserving computing schemes rely. 

Publications

All offerings are rooted in our scientific publications. To see an exhaustive list of our publications, click here.

Programmable quantum random number generator without postprocessing

A trustless decentralized protocol for distributed consensus of public quantum random numbers

Quantum systems for Monte Carlo methods and applications to fractional stochastic processes

Product overview

Summary

uQRNG creates unbiased and high quality uniformly distributed numbers.

We generate genuine random numbers by measuring the arrival time of single photons. Single photons derived from a coherent source are in superposition over all possible temporal modes, which collapses into a single time bin when measured using a single photon detector. We exploit this innate phenomenon of quantum mechanics to generate uniformly distributed random numbers.

View product page.

Applications

  1. Cryptography (signing, authentication, key generation, salts, …)

  2. Agent based simulation

  3. Modeling networks

  4. Monte Carlo simulation

  5. Gaming

  6. Risk management

  7. Sensitivity analysis (what if scenarios)

  8. Statistical sampling

  9. Biological systems (molecule interactions, pharmacokinetics, etc)

  10. Gambling

  11. Statistical sampling

  12. Experimental design and testing

  13. Data generation for certain ML use cases

Differentiators

We are able to produce unbiased truly random numbers without the need for any post-processing such as randomness distillation or distribution transformation. When we say true random number generator, this means that it can’t be predicted by any mathematical model. Many pseudo random numbers have a period, which means they will eventually repeat. On top of this, they may contain bias, which can interfere with simulations and data science modeling results, as well as introduce security loopholes which can be exploited by bad actors. Quantum mechanical principles provide guarantees that our numbers will be unbiased and not algorithmically predictable.

Summary

Our rackmountable entangled photon source demonstrates remarkable stability, maintaining stability over 12 hours, enduring prolonged periods of reliable entanglement. Our source’s brightness enables its operation in photon-starved environments, making it resilient for both fiber and free space transmission across extensive distances. Utilizing either their polarization or time-frequency entanglement, the photon pairs from our source can be used for a myriad of applications.  

View product page.

Contact us to learn more