LuxQuanta, Telefónica, Vithas, and Qoolnet shield hospitals against quantum attacks

Madrid, February 17, 2025 –  Telefónica, in collaboration with VITHAS healthcare group and technology providers LuxQuanta, QoolNet, and Fortinet, has successfully connected two hospitals within Madrid, securing their information through a quantum fiber optic link. This project has demonstrated the feasibility of quantum-safe communication between healthcare centers, ensuring data immunity against potential attacks from quantum computers.

Although we are talking about a technology of the future, its impact is already a concern in the present. The power of quantum computing will eventually allow malicious groups to breach today's cryptographic techniques used in Internet communications, which are based on mathematical algorithms. In fact, these groups can already engage in a practice known as Store Now, Decrypt Later (SNDL, storing encrypted data today with the intent to decrypt it in the future), once quantum computing provides the necessary power for rapid decryption.

For this project, Telefónica leveraged two network nodes from its central ring in Madrid to establish the quantum-secured link, connecting VITHAS Madrid Arturo Soria University Hospital with VITHAS Madrid La Milagrosa University Hospital. The deployment included the Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD) system, NOVA LQ®, developed by the Spanish deep-tech company LuxQuanta.

A total of three pairs of NOVA LQ® devices were used for this quantum connection, one pair in Telefónica’s central ring and two additional pairs to link each hospital to the network. Data traveled securely from one hospital to Telefónica’s quantum ring and then to the other hospital, ensuring end-to-end quantum-safe communication.

Unlike traditional encryption methods that rely on mathematical algorithms, QKD technologies leverage the laws of quantum physics, ensuring that any attempt by an intruder to observe or intercept the quantum channel while is exchanging the cryptographic keys can be detected as it leaves a detectable trace. As a result, the cryptographic keys generated through QKD are inherently secure against any attack, making them ideal for protecting information in transit between the two hospitals.

In addition to NOVA LQ®, Telefónica integrated QoolNet’s Quantum-Safe solution, developed by the Polytechnic University of Madrid spin-off, to coordinate the management of cryptographic keys across the different fiber sections linking the hospitals.

Furthermore, Fortinet’s next-generation firewalls utilized the quantum keys generated by NOVA LQ® to encrypt hospital communications end-to-end, ensuring a fully protected data exchange between both medical centers.

Once the keys through the secure quantum channel were established, they were used by both hospitals to securely exchange the digital data generated by several applications, such as medical records, teleconsultations, and remote patient monitoring.

Vanesa Díaz, CEO of LuxQuanta, emphasized the significance of this achievement: "Cryptography is our shield against threats that seek to compromise our digital communications, and there is no information more valuable than people’s health. That is why this trial—a global pioneer—is so important. Our QKD technology is now protecting the most critical citizen data in a hospital environment, setting a milestone in quantum-secure communications."

 Quantum Cybersecurity: A Present Reality, Not Just the Future

Telefónica has demonstrated that LuxQuanta's quantum key distribution (QKD) system effectively addresses the extreme security requirements needed to protect critical information.

"With NOVA LQ®, Quantum Cybersecurity is not just the future, it is already a reality deployed in Europe and worldwide. The time to start preparing is now," says Vanesa Díaz, CEO of LuxQuanta.

The advancement of quantum computing is accelerating progress across multiple sectors, but it also introduces a significant challenge for communication security. The immense computational power of quantum computers could be exploited by malicious actors to break current encryption algorithms, posing a serious threat to data protection. In the healthcare sector, patients' personal data and remote monitoring are just two examples of sensitive information that will require advanced security measures in the near future.

"We have successfully tested Quantum Key Distribution in a highly critical environment like healthcare, leveraging our fiber network to establish a secure communications channel for sensitive data. This project allows us to anticipate and address future threats that emerging technologies may pose," says Leonor Ostos, Innovation Manager at Telefónica Spain.

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