Quantum technology is set to revolutionise the field of cybersecurity, bringing with it both the ability to crack extremely complex encryption keys in seconds—and the means to defend against such threats. Europe is preparing accordingly. Luxembourg and Belgium have launched Europe’s first cross-border quantum communication network—paving the way for a secure, future-proof cybersecurity infrastructure across the EU.
On October 17, 2024, Luxembourg and Belgium successfully exchanged encryption keys for the first time via a quantum communication network—linking a site at the University of Luxembourg in Luxembourg-Kirchberg with a Belnet data centre in Arlon, Belgium. Since then, the network has been extended by 132 kilometres to reach an antenna of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Redu.
Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and rapid technological evolution, this technology is becoming increasingly essential as cyberattack threats grow in frequency and sophistication. Today, a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. But it’s not the frequency of these attacks that should raise alarm—it’s the transformative nature of the threats that calls for a complete rethink of how we defend against them.
Quantum computers: encryption’s greatest disruptor
Currently, securing communication between two parties involves encrypting the message and transmitting the decryption key separately. Depending on its complexity, breaking this key could take anywhere from minutes to 150 years.
“We are on the cusp of a revolution in encryption and decryption”
Quantum computers are expected to upend this paradigm—reducing what once took a century to mere seconds. “We are on the cusp of a revolution in encryption and decryption. The solutions we rely on today will soon be completely obsolete,” warns Jean-Luc Trullemans, director of the European Space Agency centre in Redu, Belgium, a hub which focuses primarily on cybersecurity.
It’s merely a matter of time. “Intelligence services are no longer trying to decrypt data immediately. They collect and store it, waiting for quantum technology to become available in order to unlock it,” Trullemans adds. “This is why it is vital to prepare and develop quantum encryption solutions now.”
Quantum Key Distribution: tamper-proof communication
One promising field in this area is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), a specialised branch of quantum communication. QKD offers a unique advantage: when information is exchanged via quantum particles, any attempt at interception—be it espionage or theft—is instantly detectable by both parties.
“If someone tries to steal your data, you’ll know immediately”
“Thanks to the properties of quantum particles, particularly single photons, any attempt to measure or intercept them disrupts their state, making it impossible to copy or recreate them identically after the fact,” explains Jorge Luis Gonzalez Rios, technical coordinator at the Quantum Communication Infrastructure (QCI) Lab at the University of Luxembourg. The result? “If someone tries to steal your data, you’ll know immediately.”
Europe has clearly recognised the strategic importance of quantum communication. In 2019, it launched the EuroQCI initiative, aimed at building a secure quantum communication infrastructure across the EU. Several member states are already rolling out national implementations: Lux4QCI in Luxembourg, BeQCI in Belgium, Q-net-Q in Germany, QCINed in the Netherlands, and FranceQCI, among others.
Luxembourg’s role: research and real-world testing
In Luxembourg, the initiative is spearheaded by the University of Luxembourg’ Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT). Its mission: to establish an infrastructure that supports both academic research and industry engagement. The goal is to allow businesses to familiarise themselves with a technology that is set to become essential but is still maturing—requiring extensive testing and currently too costly for most companies.
“It’s neither desirable for the country nor for Europe to leave certain players behind simply because they lack access to this technology,” says Gonzalez Rios. “That’s why one of our first objectives was to build the infrastructure within the university—so we can support research, stay at the cutting edge, and offer our expertise to businesses through partnerships and collaborations.”
The project has already drawn several high-profile partners, including satellite and telecoms giant SES, cybersecurity SME itrust consulting, the Restena Foundation, and public companies such as Luxconnect and Incert.
Breaking new ground—step by step
Luxembourg’s research team has advanced step by step. It began by demonstrating QKD over a one-year period between the University’s Kirchberg and Belval campuses. The next milestone was crossing the Belgian border—without straying too far. “Every kilometre of optical fibre increases the risk of losing quantum particles (known as photons) that carry the encryption data,” SnT explains.
The Belgian town of Arlon, located 45 kilometres from Kirchberg, was chosen for its proximity—and because it lies halfway to ESA’s Redu site. This makes it ideal for future experiments involving satellite integration, according to SnT.
The EuroQCI project is composed of two segments: a terrestrial one using fibre-optic networks connecting strategic sites at national and cross-border levels, and a space-based segment involving satellites. The latter will be crucial “for extending QKD over long distances,” says SnT.
Toward the final frontier: satellites and space security
In early June, the QKD link was successfully extended to Redu—a milestone in itself. But space remains the next frontier. “In the longer term, connecting ESA’s Redu site aims to test satellite-based quantum communication, which currently relies on physical fibre connections,” notes Belnet.
“QKD represents a revolution in space-related activities,” says Trullemans. Indeed, while space infrastructure can enable quantum communication, the reverse is also true: quantum communication can help protect space. Satellites—effectively data-producing and transmitting machines—have become frequent targets of increasingly devastating cyberattacks.
The 2022 Russian cyberattack on the KA-SAT satellite network illustrates the threat’s scale. While the aim was to disrupt communication between the Ukrainian government and its population, the attack also took more than 4,000 wind turbines in Germany’s energy grid offline and disabled thousands of internet routers in France.
The road ahead: preparing for a quantum future
Europe is rising to the quantum challenge by steadily building its network. While the technology is still in the demonstration phase, the aim is to be ready once it matures—and that day may come sooner than expected. “Based on what we’ve achieved over the past three years, we should have at least some concrete demonstrations within five years,” says Gonzalez Rios. “Even if the system won’t be fully operational or seamless, we’ll likely see functioning segments of a trans-European network.”
This article was published in the 7th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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