Telefónica: What Does its Quantum Security Solution Cover?

Global telecom giant Telefónica is taking a forward thinking approach that could ripple through the cyber sphere by announcing the development of a new quantum security architecture solution. 

Working with tech integrators Warpcom and Quantum Xchange, and cybersecurity firm Fortinet, the development aims to demonstrate its effectiveness in protecting organisations against sophisticated cyber attacks that use quantum computing.

“Telefónica wanted to be ahead of the curve and come up with an answer that would allow organisations to prepare for quantum-safe communications today,” said Patricia Díez Muñoz, Global Security Director for Networks and Systems at Telefónica.

“We know that, in the near future, companies that don’t protect themselves could be at risk of cyber attacks that could compromise their data and systems.“

Although not currently a huge issue faced in the field of cybersecurity, the growing accessibility of quantum computers means companies are in a race against the clock to make sure solutions are developed before adversaries get their hands on it.

Quantum’s ability to change cyber

Quantum computers perform certain calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. This means attackers using such computers can implement much more code cracking attempts.

Equally, if it comes up against encryption that has been created by standard computers’ algorithms, it could easier crack them. 

“Using quantum computing to break many of the traditional encryption methods we use today poses a huge risk,” explains Bruno Gonçalves, Manager of Warpcom Cybersecurity Business Unit.

“Organisations that implement a quantum security solution today are demonstrating a vision for the future, as they are building robust protection against increasingly complex cyberattacks”

Over the last six months, a team of 20 plus cybersecurity experts of the companies involved have worked closely together to develop this proof of concept architecture. 

Quantum security architecture leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to enhance data protection and secure communication.

Central to this architecture is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which allows two parties to share encryption keys securely by using quantum entanglement and the properties of quantum states. 

Additionally, quantum security incorporates post-quantum cryptographic algorithms designed to withstand attacks from quantum computers. 

Integrating the functionalities of the different solutions, the Telefónica-led solution has undergone a rigorous battery of tests to ensure that its performance and resilience meet the most demanding requirements of organisations. 

Following the internal testing phase, the group says they are ready to test this solution in a production environment.

“Quantum cryptographic protocols should be resilient to all advances in computing and mathematics,” Issam Toufik, CTO at The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) said following the launch of the initiative.

“As we outline the highest standards for a quantum safe future, ETSI working groups are focused on developing common interfaces and specifications to ensure future interoperability.”

Alongside adopting standards from ETSI, the solution is highly adaptable, as it can be marketed and implemented anywhere in the world, whether in on-prem or cloud environments; can be used on any type of network infrastructure, including SD-WAN, fibre or 5G, and can be updated over time to meet changing cyber dynamics 

A solution for today and tomorrow

Not only does early release of this signal how Telefónica and its project partners are taking the quantum threat seriously, it has current applications. 

“This initiative shows how the existential threat to current cryptographic systems can be mitigated, allowing customers to be safe in the knowledge that their data is protected from ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ attacks,” Carl Windsor, CISO at Fortinet remarks. 

So regardless of what the current state of the solution is in, its capabilities to protect from data harvests now, and its adaptability to be updated as development goes on, shows a commitment by this consortium to keep pace with threats in a world that could soon go quantum.

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