First EU Country Implements QANplatform’s Quantum-Resistant Technology

Insider Brief

• QANplatform has announced that its quantum-resistant technology is being used for the first time by an EU country in the public sector.
• QANplatform’s technology protects government-owned cybersecurity infrastructure against quantum computing attacks.
• Store now, decrypt later (SNDL) also known as harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL), is a significant cybersecurity threat.
• Image: Patrick Storchenegger and Johann Polecsak

PRESS RELEASE — QANplatform has announced that its quantum-resistant technology is being used for the first time by an EU country in the public sector. QANplatform’s technology protects government-owned cybersecurity infrastructure against quantum computing attacks. For national security reasons, the name of the EU country described in this release cannot be disclosed, nor can specific details about the exact use case. 

The announcement was made in Zug, Switzerland, with Johann Polecsak, Co-Founder and CTO of QANplatform, and QAN’s Intellectual Property (IP) holding company led by CEO Patrick Storchenegger. The partners are developing and implementing post-quantum cybersecurity (PQC) solutions based on the QAN blockchain platform’s post-quantum feature. It aligns with the NIST’s (US National Institute of Standards and Technology) quantum-resistant recommendations. The partners are implementing these PQC solutions into enterprise software. 

Patrick Storchenegger said: “We are proud of the successful integration of QAN’s unique technology by our partner, now utilized as a key component in its software as a post-quantum cybersecurity layer. This will enhance the country’s strategic advantage in navigating the quantum leap by securing its operations.”

Johann Polecsak added: “We must always be ahead of the curve when it comes to cybersecurity, especially in the era of ‘Store now, decrypt later’. It is only a matter of time until quantum computers can break today’s security algorithms. Recognizing this, we have built QANplatform from ground up to be immune against quantum computer attacks.”

Store now, decrypt later (SNDL) also known as harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL), is a cybersecurity threat that involves attackers collecting encrypted data with the intention of decrypting it later using more powerful computing methods, such as quantum computers.

The past year has seen a dramatic improvement in quantum computing capabilities, marked by IBM’s Condor, the 1000+ qubit power-machine. The US White House has released its National Cybersecurity Strategy, emphasizing post-quantum cybersecurity as a key pillar, and in January 2024, NATO and the World Economic Forum also released strategies to prepare for the quantum era. 

The EU is anxious not to fall behind in the quantum race against its global competitors. To meet this challenge, the Quantum Technologies Flagship was launched in 2018 with a €1 billion budget. The race between quantum technology and the development of cybersecurity countermeasures has made it imperative for the public sector to take proactive measures to address these security challenges.