January 30, 2024 -- Keyfactor, the identity-first security solution for modern enterprises, and Quantinuum, the world’s largest integrated quantum computing company, have partnered to strengthen the root of trust, a critical component in reliable public key infrastructures (PKIs) and code signing. This integration is an important first step in a journey to protect Keyfactor’s users against multiple present-day and future cybersecurity risks, including the growing threat to encrypted communications posed by the potential misuse of rapidly advancing quantum computing technology.

Given the rapid rise of bad actors, organizations are facing increasingly sophisticated attacks. In the future, misuse of quantum computing will be another threat that may compromise data. More than ever, data and communications rely on systems and processes to ensure their protection and accuracy. Digital certificates and PKI remain great options to strengthen the security of machine-to-machine communications from attacks.

Regardless of whether post-quantum or classical PKI algorithms are in use, the first step in the production of strong certificates is the generation of good-quality entropy, the random data used for the private keys. Traditionally, this has relied on noise derived from sources such as network and memory latency, as well as hardware assistance where the underlying system is able to provide it. Unfortunately, these approaches cannot guarantee the quality of the entropy, which leaves the strength of certificates against sophisticated attacks in doubt.

Verified quantum entropy sources solve this problem, using the laws of quantum physics to prove a near-perfect level of randomness in the entropy produced. With a high-quality entropy source, users can be confident that the keys they are using reflect the same level of quality and have not, in some way, been compromised in generation.

To ensure high-quality keys, Keyfactor now offers a PKI platform that integrates with Quantum Origin, the world’s only verified source of quantum entropy. Using verified quantum entropy assures the quality of keys used to provide the root of trust, both now for classical cryptography and in the future as post-quantum cryptographic algorithms also become more widely deployed.

“Quantum-readiness hinges on an organization’s knowledge of its cryptography and ability to defend itself against advanced threats. In this new era of cybersecurity, leaders are feeling a heightened sense of urgency to implement solutions that will secure digital interactions and communications before quantum computing becomes a reality,” said Joe Tong, Senior Vice President of Global Channel Sales, Keyfactor. “Keyfactor’s partnership with Quantinuum, together with our existing collection of post-quantum algorithm implementations, will be able to provide customers with trust-based solutions that are hardened both with quantum technology and the latest post-quantum cryptographic research. Together with Quantinuum, we are building strong cybersecurity foundations for the future, one step at a time.”

“The security and integrity of digital communications and transactions depends on the strength of digital certificates. By integrating Quantum Origin, Keyfactor’s customers can now leverage the world’s only source of verified quantum entropy to strengthen certificate generation.” said Duncan Jones, Head of Cybersecurity at Quantinuum.