Crypto Quantique unveils ‘first quantum-driven secure chip’ at IoT Solutions World Congress
Shahram Mossayebi of Crypto Quantique
An advanced security product for IoT devices has been unveiled at the IoT Solutions World Congress. Developed by the UK company, Crypto Quantique, it is aiming to become the foundational security product for every IoT device in the world.
The foundational technology consists of the claimed “world’s first quantum-driven secure chip (QDSC) on silicon” which, when combined with cryptographic APIs, provides highly scalable, integratable, easy-to-implement and seamless end-to-end security for any connected device.
Capable of underpinning all other security devices on the market today, the QDSC is unique to every device and unclonable, which makes it almost impossible to hack – a true scientific and engineering feat. It has been developed using a combination of the most advanced techniques in cryptography and quantum physics.
According to Gartner, securing IoT is the world’s most visible challenge due to the growth of the category. There were 6 billion IoT devices in 2015 but this is expected to rocket to 150 billion by 2030 – or 15 devices for every person. This rapid rate of growth means existing security products are struggling to keep up and unable to provide the reliable and future-proof safety features required to meet this expected demand.
“We have developed a foundational technology that redefines the concept of security for IoT devices,” said Shahram Mossayebi, co-founder, Crypto Quantique.
“Due to built-in legacy issues with technology, IoT security has always been a bolt on – until now. Our product can either be an integrated part of the development process or be retrofitted into any connected device. This kills the ‘feature function’ conversation in IoT security. “
Each chip generates a large number of unique, unclonable and tamper-evident cryptographic keys by harnessing quantum processes in nano-devices on silicon.Because of the uniqueness and way in which the keys are generated, there is no requirement to store the keys on the device because the keys can be retrieved on demand. This eliminates secure storage requirements and leakage of sensitive information.
“Every day, millions of devices are sent to facilities around the world to have secret keys ‘injected’ into them. We completely eliminate this huge cost and security overhead,” says Mossayebi.
In addition to building the chip, Crypto Quantique also provides the cryptographic APIs and manages the end to end security to remove the multiple parties involved in the security chain and provide an all-in-one solution. This means there are no ‘open windows’ in connectivity when it comes to security.
Once a QDSC is placed in a device it links directly to the owner system (i.e., public or private cloud) through CQ’s cryptographic APIs, where it is managed automatically and remotely while the device is in the field.
Mossayebi continues, “This is the iPhone moment for the IoT security category. It represents a complete step change, we’ve built something completely unique.”
Some of the world’s biggest businesses in Energy, Defence, Aerospace and Banking are reported to bealready engaged with pilot projects running and pre-orders being taken now.
Crypto Quantique is backed by some of the world’s biggest investors. It was also selected as one of nine businesses out of thousands that applied to help with Cyber Security for the 2018 Thales Cyber Security Programme at Station F in Paris.
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