Crypto Quantique, a specialist in quantum-driven cyber security for the IoT, has announced a post-quantum computing (PQC) version of its QuarkLink chip-to-cloud IoT security platform.

The upgraded platform is believed to be the first to use post-quantum algorithms recently announced for standardisation by the National Institute of Standards & Technology (Nist), particularly the chosen key encapsulation mechanism (KEM), Crystals-Kyber.

As part of its recent announcement on post-quantum standards, Nist focused on the applicability of the schemes to embedded devices, including benchmarks of all schemes on the Arm Cortex-M4, demonstrating that post-quantum security on the IoT is a realistic goal.

Elsewhere, Nist standardised multiple signature schemes, including both lattice- and hash-based signatures, and suggested algorithms of future interest that may be standardised later. Crypto Quantique’s KEM-TLS protocol is designed to be flexible and can be adapted to these changing standards.

QuarkLink is a platform for connecting IoT devices with an embedded root-of-trust to server-based applications. Its functions include device provisioning, automated secure onboarding to applications, and lifetime security management. Via a simple interface, users can achieve firmware encryption, signing and secure updates over-the-air, certificate and key renewal, and device revocation.

A few keystrokes initiate an automated process for onboarding thousands of devices in minutes to a server platform, or to multiple platforms simultaneously. AWS, Microsoft and Mosquito are among the cloud services supported.

Crypto Quantique worked on the post-quantum version of QuarkLink’s enrolment, relying on a custom, built-in-house variant of the novel KEM-TLS protocol developed with researchers at the Department of Computer science at ETH Zurich. The research was led by led by Kenny Paterson.

“It’s been very exciting working with the Crypto Quantique team to research and develop PQC protocols, and to see our research ideas entering deployment in such a short space of time,” said Paterson. “Kudos to Crypto Quantique for being the first to market with solutions offering security for the long term.”

The resulting variant of the KEM-TLS protocol is particularly suited to the IoT setting, as its reliance on KEMs as opposed to post-quantum digital signatures lowers bandwidth costs and increases efficiency, without compromising security. 

“Many IoT installations have a projected operating life of ten years or more,” said Crypto Quantique CEO Shahram Mossayebi. “During that time, we will see the emergence of quantum computers that will make cyber attacks on IoT devices several orders of magnitude more powerful than they are today. We have already developed a quantum-driven root-of-trust technology for semiconductors that will provide the foundation for secure IoT networks. By ensuring that QuarkLink runs the most advanced post-quantum algorithms, we will provide our customers with unbreakable end-to-end security. Our first demonstration of a post-quantum version of QuarkLink shows how easy we can make it for customers to achieve IoT device security at scale, whatever hackers throw at them, now or in the future.”

This work was made possible through the Eurostars programme in partnership with ETH Zurich. The programme’s goal was to create the world’s first quantum-driven cyber-security platform to protect IoT devices from cyber attacks. Eurostars funds multiple projects across Europe every year.

This project received funding form the Eurostars-2 joint programme with co-funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Crypto Quantique has created what it claims is the world’s most secure end-to-end IoT security platform. At its heart is the world’s first quantum-driven semiconductor hardware IP, called QDID, that generates multiple, unique, unforgeable cryptographic keys for devices manufactured using standard CMOS processes. The keys do not need to be stored and can be used independently by multiple applications on demand. When combined with cryptographic APIs from the company’s universal IoT security platform, QuarkLink, it creates a secure bridge between silicon, device, software and provider.

The company, which is based in London, UK, was co-founded by CEO Shahram Mossayebi, an expert in cryptosystems, and vice president Patrick Camilleri, a semiconductor designer with experience in complex parallel computer systems.