Quantum Communications Hub, EPSRC

Impact Objectives • Exploit fundamental laws of quantum physics for the development of secure communications technologies and services • Deliver quantum communications systems that will in turn enable secure transactions and transmissions of data across a range of users in real-world applications Making tomorrow’s world secure today Professor Tim Spiller describes the UK Quantum Communications Hub, of which he is Director, and explains how it is providing a test bed for the successful translation of quantum science into mainstream technological communications security applications for economic benefit Could you begin feed its future expansion, competitiveness, computers powerful enough to crack by introducing diversification and sustainability. this cryptography will be built, it is widely the Quantum accepted that new approaches to secure Communications Why are more secure communication communications need to be developed now, Hub and its technologies and services required? so we are all prepared for this future threat. mission? The importance of data security, during In lay terms, what is Quantum Key The Quantum Communications Hub is a both transmission and storage, is ever Distribution (QKD)? Can you explain synergistic partnership of eight UK universities growing in the modern world. Current the relevance of QKD technologies to (Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Heriot-Watt, Royal secure communications technologies can communication security? Holloway, Sheffield, Strathclyde, and York have vulnerabilities in their hardware and as the lead) and numerous private sector in their software – the implementation of QKD uses a fundamental aspect of quantum companies (BT, Toshiba Research Europe mathematical encryption employed for physics to facilitate the establishment Ltd., ADVA, ID Quantique, amongst others) security. Very important activities are always of shared secret random data, or keys, and public sector bodies (National Physical ongoing (worldwide, and in academia, between two users, who are always called Laboratory, Bristol City Council, National government laboratories and companies) Alice and Bob! In the conventional scenario, Dark Fibre Infrastructure Service (NDFIS), to improve the current technologies and Alice is the transmitter and she sends very and others). This unique collaboration aims services. However, in addition to all this, weak light signals – down at the quantum to exploit fundamental laws of quantum we now know that some very widely level – to Bob, who measures them (these physics for the development of secure deployed mathematical encryption signals might be individual photons, or communications technologies and services. techniques (Public Key Encryption) will quanta of light, or other states of light The main aim of the Hub is to deliver practical be rendered insecure by the emergence which embody quantum features). As secure communications by exploiting the of future quantum computational Alice knows what she sent and Bob knows commercialisation potential of existing technologies. Note that this insecurity what he measured, a clever protocol – prototype quantum technologies beyond is not due to the hardware and software or formula – exists that Alice and Bob their current limitations; to contribute to the implementation, but to the underlying can subsequently follow. This protocol establishment of a quantum communications mathematics used. Therefore, although enables Alice and Bob to distil identical technology industry for the UK; and to we do not know exactly when quantum random data strings, or keys, from their 12 www.impact.pub Impact Objectives • Exploit fundamental laws of quantum physics for the development of secure communications technologies and services • Deliver quantum communications systems that will in turn enable secure transactions and transmissions of data across a range of users in real-world applications Although we do not know exactly when quantum computers powerful enough to crack this cryptography will be built, it is widely accepted that new approaches to secure Making tomorrow’s communications need to be developed now, so we are all prepared for this future threat transmission and measurement data. It is important to note that the final does not quite satisfy the assumptions world secure today Quantum physics guarantees the security of outcome of QKD – shared secret key made about the hardware in order to prove these keys because anyone – always called material between Alice and Bob (called the security (for example, the actual detectors Eve – who tries to intercept any information symmetric keys as Alice and Bob have of the light currently have some limitations). Professor Tim Spiller describes the UK Quantum Communications Hub, of which he is Director, and about the quantum transmission from Alice identical copies) – is conventional data These differences between what is actual and explains how it is providing a test bed for the successful translation of quantum science into mainstream to Bob cannot do so without corrupting stored in Alice’s and Bob’s trusted what is desired are often called side-channels technological communications security applications for economic benefit some of the data, thus revealing their hardware. As the keys are no longer and it is these that have been exploited in so- attempted eavesdropping. This corruption quantum data, these symmetric keys can called ‘attacks’ on QKD hardware. Such attacks of the transmission by Eve is a fundamental then be used in any conventional security are of course themselves detectable, meaning Could you begin feed its future expansion, competitiveness, computers powerful enough to crack feature of quantum physics, so it is communication scenario, or indeed for countermeasures can be employed. Standards by introducing diversification and sustainability. this cryptography will be built, it is widely built into nature and will not go away as other transactions or interactions that are being developed to address these matters. the Quantum accepted that new approaches to secure technology (even quantum technology) require security. It is also very important to Communications Why are more secure communication communications need to be developed now, evolves in the future. note that the keys are consumables. They Why is the UK particularly well placed to Hub and its technologies and services required? so we are all prepared for this future threat. should be used once and then deleted, address these limitations and advance QKD mission? It should be noted that the clever protocol as any reuse generally compromises the technologies? The importance of data security, during In lay terms, what is Quantum Key that Alice and Bob follow involves them security. Therefore, QKD is required on a The Quantum Communications Hub is a both transmission and storage, is ever Distribution (QKD)? Can you explain communicating (by ordinary non-quantum regular basis to replenish symmetric keys The UK has a long and very productive synergistic partnership of eight UK universities growing in the modern world. Current the relevance of QKD technologies to means) to establish their shared key. The as these are consumed. history in quantum science research, so (Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Heriot-Watt, Royal secure communications technologies can communication security? cleverness is such that even if Eve hears we have a very strong academic base, Holloway, Sheffield, Strathclyde, and York have vulnerabilities in their hardware and all of this discussion, it still doesn’t tell What are the current limitations of QKD including a national laboratory (the National as the lead) and numerous private sector in their software – the implementation of QKD uses a fundamental aspect of quantum her anything about the final key. Hence technologies? Physical Laboratory) which is recognised companies (BT, Toshiba Research Europe mathematical encryption employed for physics to facilitate the establishment the security of QKD. To be very precise, worldwide for its expertise in timing, Ltd., ADVA, ID Quantique, amongst others) security. Very important activities are always of shared secret random data, or keys, QKD should really be called quantum key One limitation is the distance over which metrology, calibration and quantum devices. and public sector bodies (National Physical ongoing (worldwide, and in academia, between two users, who are always called expansion (QKE) because, in order to first QKD can usefully work from Alice to Bob, We also already have UK companies Laboratory, Bristol City Council, National government laboratories and companies) Alice and Bob! In the conventional scenario, communicate, Alice and Bob do need some which at present is approximately 100 km, (including SMEs, major UK companies Dark Fibre Infrastructure Service (NDFIS), to improve the current technologies and Alice is the transmitter and she sends very initial shared secret key material (which either via standard optical fibre or through and parts of multinational companies) and others). This unique collaboration aims services. However, in addition to all this, weak light signals – down at the quantum is stored in their hardware devices, which free space. This distance limitation is due with quantum technology R&D activities to exploit fundamental laws of quantum we now know that some very widely level – to Bob, who measures them (these they trust and control). This is needed for to optical losses and errors that occur with or developing and growing interests. The physics for the development

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