Japanese certification authority Cybertrust Japan has adopted quantum-resistant security for IoT devices. The authority is now issuing certificates for IoT devices that incorporate quantum-computing-hardened private keys, together with a new distribution platform for securing IoT device authentication.

Cybertrust Japan has integrated private keys from Cambridge-based Quantinuum, a quantum computing company.

The authority’s new authentication infrastructure provides high-speed, high-volume certificate issuance and distribution for large volumes of IoT devices includes the NIST-selected post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms.  The certificate authority is protecting devices from current and advancing threats by incorporating Quantinuum’s Quantum Origin solution, a cryptographic solution that employs quantum computers to generate quantum-computing-hardened keys.

“Integrating Quantum Origin assures our customers that they can build innovative IoT-based solutions on a platform they can trust to deliver speed and higher security, including post-quantum algorithms support. As a result, customers and partners can use and sell our certification services securely for the long term,” said Yasutoshi Magara, President & CEO of Cybertrust Japan. “We would like to promote activities aimed at realising a safe and secure society together with Quantinuum.” 

IoT devices typically use certificates to authenticate their connection to other devices or networks to prove that they are trusted devices. The challenge when providing and managing certificates across these devices is complex because of the volume of devices trying to connect to networks and the need to provide fast access to data.  Security measures need to be robust while also enabling real-time communications. 

“Cybertrust Japan and Quantinuum have shown that an advanced quantum-computing-based solution like Quantum Origin can be seamlessly integrated into authentication infrastructure to strengthen key and certificate generation. Cybertrust Japan is the first certification provider in the world to support quantum-computing-hardened keys using Quantum Origin,” said Duncan Jones, Head of Cybersecurity at Quantinuum. “As the use of IoT devices grows, companies must ensure that their devices have state-of-the-art protection against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks that threaten their most valuable assets and data. Quantum Origin is the world’s only solution that provides encryption keys generated by quantum computers giving customers an unrivalled ability to strengthen existing security measures and reduce their risk of exposure from advanced encryption-based attacks.”

Cybertrust Japan’s Secure IoT Platform is designed to protect end devices through their entire product lifecycle from semiconductor design to the implementation of the devices to the ultimate disposal of the devices. The Secure IoT Platform creates security certificates for the manufacturing process to protect the hardware, to make the manufacturing process traceable and to provide a long-term defect warranty. The product also includes a management platform for the devices to allow secure OS and software updates in addition to securing the data created and transmitted by the devices.