Telefónica, Fortinet debut innovative solution for quantum cyberattacks

Telefónica, leading telecommunications company, in collaboration with Warpcom, an iberian technology integrator, have teamed up with Fortinet and Quantum Xchange to develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of an innovative solution based on quantum security architecture, designed to meet the present and future needs of organizations.

This innovative initiative aims to protect data and systems against the most sophisticated cyber-attacks that exploit the properties of quantum computing. The resulting solution can be marketed and implemented anywhere in the world, whether in on-prem or cloud environments, adapting easily to different types of environments.

Over the last six months, the team of about twenty cybersecurity experts of the entities involved have worked closely together to develop this cutting-edge proof of concept. Integrating the functionalities of the different solutions, the architecture has undergone a rigorous battery of tests to ensure that its performance and resilience meet the most demanding requirements of organizations.

This achievement represents a significant milestone in the evolution of cybersecurity, offering robust and advanced protection against current and emerging threats. Now we are ready to test this solution in a production environment.

“Using quantum computing to break many of the traditional encryption methods we use today poses a huge risk. This means that sensitive information such as intellectual property, personal data, financial and banking data, and state secrets could be vulnerable to quantum attacks. The solution now being launched can respond efficiently and effectively to the need to protect against a quantum cyberattack,” explains Bruno Gonçalves, Manager of Warpcom Cybersecurity Business Unit. He adds that “organizations that implement a quantum security solution today are demonstrating a vision for the future, as they are building robust protection against increasingly complex cyberattacks”.

This quantum security solution brings several benefits, such as the ability to be updated over time, thus allowing for greater resilience to future attacks. Another benefit is that the solution is designed to be used in any type of network infrastructure, including SD-WAN, fiber or 5G, making it highly flexible.

“Quantum security is an increasingly important issue, as quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize many sectors, such as health, finance, and national security. That’s why Telefónica wanted to be ahead of the curve and come up with an answer that would allow organizations to prepare for quantum-safe communications today. We know that, in the near future, companies that don’t protect themselves could be at risk of cyber-attacks that could compromise their data and systems. The solution adopts standards from ETSI and can be integrated in our networks and services,” says Patricia Díez Muñoz, Global Security Director for Networks and Systems at Telefónica.

Carl Windsor, CISO at Fortinet, adds that “Fortinet is committed to protecting its customers from current and future threats. This initiative shows how the existential threat to current cryptographic systems can be mitigated, allowing customers to be safe in the knowledge that their data is protected from ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ attacks.”

Quantum Xchange offers the future of encryption with quantum secure agility, visibility, and management solutions. “In the ever-evolving network landscape, where the smooth interchange of mission-critical data between headquarters, branches, data centers, and the cloud is imperative, deploying quantum-safe stands out as an advantage. The solution aims to protect data and systems against the most sophisticated cyber-attacks,” concludes Eddy Zervigon, CEO of Quantum Xchange.