QuSecure, Inc., a leader in post-quantum cybersecurity (PQC), announced the U.S. Federal Government is currently orchestrating the world's first-ever post-quantum encryption communication over a Government network by utilizing its QuProtect PQC solution. QuProtect is the industry's first end-to-end PQC software-based solution uniquely designed to protect encrypted communications and data with quantum-resilience using quantum secure channels.

The Government is leveraging QuSecure's unique post-quantum cryptographic algorithm on its legacy systems at a combined Air Force, Space Force and NORAD location. The quantum-resilient deployment has 100-percent uptime protecting data that previously used standard encryption, with no increased bandwidth or latency issues through QuProtect's quantum tunnel. Data currently being transmitted cannot be decrypted by others unless they have the QuProtect system, and any adversary collecting the protected data to store will be unlikely to decrypt it in the future, even with a quantum computer.

"This is extremely significant because the U.S. Government has not employed a post-quantum communications channel on premises before," said Pete Ford, QuSecure Head of Federal Operations. "The QuProtect platform is performing exceptionally well with uninterrupted, continuous quantum channel uptime protecting formerly classically encrypted and quantum vulnerable asymmetric keys."

This historic event was possible due to activities around QuSecure's evaluation for, and eventually winning, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III Federal Government procurement contract for PQC solutions. Announced last month, QuSecure has been established as the Government's leading provider of PQC solutions, setting the standard for Government's PQC requirements. This is the Government's first and only Phase III designation aimed at addressing end-to-end comprehensive solutions to the post-quantum threat, and further emphasizes today's need to deploy PQC for classical and future quantum attacks.

Federal agencies participating in SBIR include the following agencies and departments: Small Business Administration, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Transportation, Environmental Protection, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation.

The Government's deployment of QuSecure is being operated over an open Internet network on legacy equipment and systems. QuSecure has proven it works on Government systems by using cryptographic agility that supports all National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalist algorithms in the post-quantum cryptography standardization competition. The winners of the NIST competition were announced on July 5.

"With the current speed of business, commerce, warfare and everyday communications, QuProtect protects all data on existing systems and devices and does not slow the systems down," added Ford. "We have proven this in our successful pilot, which will lead to the large-scale deployments as a result of our SBIR Phase III contract with the Government. This historic moment places QuSecure one step closer to fulfilling our vision of ensuring an exceptionally secure quantum future."

QuProtect enables organizations for the first time to leverage quantum resilient technology to help prevent today's cyberattacks, while future-proofing networks and preparing for post-quantum cyberthreats. It provides quantum-resilient cryptography, anytime, anywhere and on any device. QuProtect uses an end-to-end quantum-security-as-a-service (QSaaS) architecture that addresses the digital ecosystem's most vulnerable aspects, uniquely combining zero-trust, next-generation post-quantum-cryptography, quantum-strength keys, high availability, easy deployment, and active defense into a comprehensive and interoperable cybersecurity suite. The end-to-end approach is designed around the entire data lifecycle as data is stored, communicated, and used.