How quantum-safe encryption is securing India's future in cybersecurity

During India Mobile Congress 2024, Voice&data had an engaging conversation with Sunil Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of QNU Labs, a pioneering company focused on quantum-safe encryption. Sunil explained how QNU Labs is transforming cybersecurity by moving away from traditional mathematical encryption, which is vulnerable to quantum computing threats, toward advanced quantum-safe solutions. He also shed light on the industries adopting these innovations, the key challenges in raising awareness about post-quantum security, and India’s promising future as a global leader in quantum communication technology.

How is QNU Labs’ quantum-safe encryption different from traditional methods?

Traditional methods of encryption are based on mathematics, which has served us well for a long time. However, the new wave of quantum computers that are coming up now has the ability to break these mathematical algorithms, which means that current encryption standards will no longer be safe in the future.

There are two ways to address this problem. The first option is to make mathematics more complex and pick a more difficult situation for computers to solve. The second, which we are doing at QNU Labs, is to shift away from relying solely on mathematics and use physics instead. Physics-based encryption, like what we offer, cannot be broken by quantum computers. We have built solutions using both advanced mathematics and physics, ensuring that these systems will be secure even in the face of future quantum computing threats.

Which industries are currently using QNU Labs’ products to enhance their security?

Our solutions are being used by the armed forces, intelligence agencies, and telecom companies. We're also starting to target the banking industry. Eventually, any industry that handles critical or sensitive data will need to adopt this technology. Healthcare, financial services, and sectors that manage critical infrastructure will all require quantum-safe encryption to protect their communications and data in the near future.

How do you implement quantum key distribution (QKD) in industries like healthcare and banking?

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is primarily used to secure communication between two endpoints. In industries like healthcare, for example, where very sensitive patient data or critical research data is shared between departments or institutions, QKD can protect that communication. This is done by installing QKD systems within optical fibre networks to make sure that the data being transmitted is encrypted at a quantum-safe level.

However, not every solution requires QKD, which is a hardware-based solution. We also offer a software-based solution that uses advanced mathematics to create quantum-safe encryption through a VPN. The benefit of this software-based approach is that it can be deployed over existing networks without any additional hardware costs and can be set up within a few hours.

What are the key challenges that you and your clients face when it comes to implementing post-quantum cybersecurity solutions?

There are two main challenges. The first challenge is creating awareness. Right now, it’s like trying to sell a COVID vaccine before the pandemic. If you had tried to convince people a year before COVID hit that there was going to be a pandemic and they should get vaccinated, most people wouldn’t understand the urgency. We are at a similar stage with quantum threats—early adopters understand the risk and are taking steps, but many organisations still need convincing.

The second challenge is identifying the right use cases. Quantum-safe encryption can be applied in so many areas that it can be difficult to know where to start. We work with customers to identify the most critical areas to protect first, but many industries, such as banking, tend to wait for regulatory requirements before they take action. Without pressure from regulators, some industries are slower to adopt new technologies.

Can you share any specific use cases where QNU Labs has successfully implemented quantum-safe technology?

We’ve successfully implemented our solutions in several use cases. One example is in the drone industry. Another is with a banking customer who needed to secure digital signatures. Digital signatures are widely used for authentication today, but with quantum computing on the horizon, these signatures will no longer be secure. We helped this client implement our Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) and post-quantum cryptography to create quantum-safe digital signatures. These signatures are future-proof, meaning they’ll remain secure even as quantum computing capabilities grow.

How is QNU Labs collaborating with government and regulatory bodies to bring quantum-safe encryption to the market?

We’re working closely with several government bodies. For example, we’re working with the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to certify our products. We're also actively contributing to building standards through organisations like the National Quantum Mission and DoT. These standards will guide the implementation of quantum-safe encryption across industries.

In addition to setting standards, we’re also helping shape government policies. Governments need to update their policies to address quantum threats. Recently, SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) issued an advisory stating that the quantum threat is real and urging organisations to adopt quantum-safe measures. We expect other sectors like banking and healthcare to follow suit soon, and we're working with the National Quantum Mission to push forward policies that address this evolving threat.

Where do you see India positioning itself in terms of quantum computing and cybersecurity, and how do you see the future?

Three years ago, I was worried that India might lose out in the race toward quantum computing, with other countries moving ahead. However, the initiatives led by the National Quantum Mission, the Department of Science and Technology, the DoT, and the Department of Railways have made a huge difference. Today, I can proudly say that India is ahead of most other countries in quantum communication, except for maybe China. And if all the use cases we’re currently working on are implemented in the next year, India will become one of the global leaders in quantum communication and cybersecurity.