Qubitekk offers proven, state-of-the-art quantum networking and components for multiple use cases
Grid Security
A New Frontier in Cyber Defense
The electric grid, critical infrastructure that powers modern society, faces various vulnerabilities including natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and physical attacks. These events can lead to power outages and blackouts, causing severe economic and social impacts. As the grid evolves into a smarter, more complex system, improving its security and resiliency becomes increasingly important. Quantum technology, leveraging quantum mechanics, offer promising solutions for enhancing grid resiliency. We discuss how quantum technology, particularly quantum protected networks (QPNs), can improve grid resiliency.
Quantum Protected Networks: An Overview
A QPN is a cryptographic technique using quantum mechanics to provide unbreakable encryption. QPN involves transmitting photons over fiber optic cables between two parties or nodes. The photons carry quantum information used to generate a shared secret key for encrypting and decrypting messages. QPN’s security is based on a fundamental proven characteristic of quantum mechanics, that any attempt to observe the photons will disturb their state, alerting network administrators to eavesdropping attempts.
Improving Grid Resilience with QPN
QPN offers various benefits for enhancing grid resilience, including:
Enhanced Grid Cybersecurity: The recent ransom-ware attack against Colonial Pipeline, which carries 2.5 million barrels of fuel a day or 50% of the East Coast’s total supply, demonstrated the fragility of utility network security in the United States. Electric utilities are likewise vulnerable. QPN can significantly improve grid security by providing unbreakable encryption, making it impossible for attackers to intercept and decipher messages transmitted over the grid. Quantum-safe communications are resistant to attacks reliant upon quantum computers, which can break currently used cryptographic algorithms such as RSA or Diffie-Hellman. Additionally, quantum-enhanced machine learning can improve cyber-attack detection by identifying anomalies and patterns in grid-generated data.
Secure Communication between Grid Components: The power grid requires communication between various components, including generators, substations, and control centers. QPN secures these communications, ensuring sensitive information is transmitted securely and protected from interception or corruption by attackers.
Protection Against Insider Threats: QPN can help guard against insider threats, such as malicious employees, by providing end-to-end encryption. This ensures sensitive information is accessible only to authorized personnel.
Facilitating Secure Data Sharing: The power grid generates vast amounts of data shared among stakeholders like grid operators, regulators, and researchers. QPN enables secure data sharing, ensuring sensitive information is accessible only to authorized parties and protected from interception by attackers.
Enhancing Power Transmission Efficiency and Grid Stability
Quantum technologies offer other benefits in addition to enhanced security. The technology can improve power transmission efficiency and grid stability in several ways:
- Superconducting cables can carry electricity without resistance, resulting in minimal energy loss.
- Quantum sensors can measure magnetic fields, temperature, and other parameters with high precision, enabling better grid monitoring and control.
- Quantum computing can solve complex optimization problems, such as power grid planning and scheduling, much faster than classical computers.
- Quantum machine learning can process vast amounts of data, identifying patterns and trends for predicting power demand and supply.
Conclusion
Quantum Protected Networks (QPN) offer a promising solution for enhancing the electric grid’s resiliency by providing unbreakable encryption and improving various aspects of grid performance. As the grid continues to evolve, it is crucial to explore and adopt quantum technologies to unlock their full potential for bolstering grid resilience.
Quantum Networks
Quantum technology is rapidly emerging as the next great technological breakthrough of the 21st century. Among developed countries, a technology race is underway to determine which country will be the first to create – and reap the benefits of – this powerful new technology. As new quantum devices emerge, a network capable of interconnecting these devices will be critical. Just as traditional fiber optic networks permitted the transmission of classical bits of information and the creation of a high-speed Internet, a fiber optic quantum network will need to be built to enable the sharing of quantum bits (or qubits). Qubitekk is working closely with today’s fiber optic asset owners to design and construct the quantum networks of tomorrow. Our vision of a quantum network includes not only the high-fidelity transmission of quantum states using photonic qubits, but also envisions an active network where critical quantum resources (source, detector, interferometers, etc.) are made accessible to network users and can be reallocated for various applications. Qubitekk is working with industry partners, FFRDCs, and NIST/NSF-sponsored Quantum Institutes around the country to help make quantum networks a reality.
Government & Defense
Qubitekk offers new solutions – powered by quantum technology – critical to maintaining U.S. scientific and military dominance. Leveraging patented and proprietary quantum technology, Qubitekk works closely with U.S. energy and defense agencies, state and municipal entities, and private industry to network quantum and classical processors, sensors, and other devices. We simultaneously support new solutions to existing and emerging threats, with novel, quantum-enabled solutions for securing communications over untrusted networks, ensuring the security reliability of the electrical grid, and enhancing satellite and drone capabilities with new quantum devices. This is all part of Qubitekk’s commitment to supporting the U.S. energy and defense-related technology roadmaps.
Space Based Communications
Secure satellite communications, precision timing synchronization, and powerful new sensors are just some of the near-term applications of quantum technology in space. To support the growing demand for space qualified quantum technology, Qubitekk works closely with industry partners and the US government to develop quantum sources, detectors, electronics, and peripheral devices that can survive rocket transport and can operate reliably in harsh space environments.
Research Applications
Quantum mechanics seeks to understand the true nature of particles and energy. How can particles be both waves and discrete particles at different times? How can a single photon be in two places simultaneously? These are but a few of the questions that quantum theory has answered. Its development over the last century represents one of science’s greatest achievements. It has also resulted in a growing disconnect between the theoretical aspects of quantum mechanics and the real-world applications of this exciting new science. One of our missions at Qubitekk is to close this gap by developing quantum devices that make powerful quantum mechanical phenomena accessible to all scientists and engineers.
