SEQURED: Strengthening Defense Networks for the Quantum Era

SEQURED aims to fortify, future-proof, and enhance the resilience of defence systems and communication infrastructures against potential threats from quantum computing attacks. The project design a quantum-resistant cryptographic suite for data-sharing, processing, and secure storage. This suite will be resilient to quantum computing advancements and practical for integration into existing defence sector legacy systems, facilitating the transition to the post-quantum era. This will be achieved by developing specifications and implementing prominent quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms and protocols, optimized for the defence sector’s strict timing and security requirements. The project will focus on implementing the four quantum-resistant algorithms selected by NIST: Kyber, Dilithium, FALCON, and SPHINCS+. It aims to provide complete specifications for their implementation, balancing sensitive security needs with optimal performance under time and power constraints. The design will also optimize processing power, considering military infrastructure characteristics and known vulnerabilities, particularly physical attacks. This involves developing a novel SW/HW co-design approach, allowing existing defence systems to adopt advanced quantum-resistant algorithms. Additionally, the project will explore the first-ever quantum-resistant trusted computing base tailored for defence applications. This adaptation will enable these systems to execute data sharing agreements through a quantum-resistant ledger with high security, even against physical attacks. Finally, the project will develop a cloud-based service, “PQ-as-a-Service”, focusing on resource-constrained devices that cannot handle heavy cryptographic workloads, and a trusted path establishment service based on novel attestation mechanisms. This service will secure data transmission between classical and quantum-resistant nodes.