Quantum crypto tested in commercial network
The EU research project SECOQC carried out its first demonstration of quantum encryption in a commercial fibre optic network in Vienna on 8 October. This network consisted of six nodes and eight links at a distance of between 6 and 82 km. The Quantum Information Group at KTH has participated in this project which was finalised in October.
Quantum encryption is an optical communications technology which is ideally able to provide proven secure transfer of encryption keys. This will contribute to the improvement of the security levels of modern society’s IT infrastructure. This technology is currently mature enough for companies to be offering relevant products. However there still remains a considerable amount to achieve as concerns research and technical development in the refinement of the technology, as well as how it can be made secure when in practical use. This last aspect is partially dependent on how the system is implemented from a purely technical point of view.
At a scientific conference held in connection with the demonstration of quantum encryption, KTH presented three papers. The first, led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at Trondheim with KTH as co-author, concerned whether the quantum encryption system could be hacked into if the technical realisation of the system had not been carried out to a sufficiently high standard. Proposals were also made as to how security could be reinstated through a different system design. This contribution received attention in the form of a news short in the British journal New Scientist.
SECOQC is an integrated project from the EU Commission’s Sixth Framework Programme that is due for completion in October 2008. 41 research groups from 12 countries have participated in this project, including the Quantum Information Group from the KTH School of Information and Communication Technology. The project has been underway for four years with a total budget of MEUR 11.4.
More information about the project on the SECOQC website
Håkan Soold