The University of Luxembourg together with the Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy will develop the Luxembourg Quantum Communication Infrastructure Laboratory (LUQCIA) to improve the country’s cybersecurity expertise.
As cybersecurity concerns remain a top priority for the government, so do the initiatives aimed at ensuring it. LUQCIA, a 5-year project funded by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility is one of these initiatives.
Cyberattacks have been at a record high for the past two years and although Luxembourg is well-positioned to ward them off, new technological advancements in quantum computing make it important to stay at the forefront of these developments.
Today, most of the data exchanged across the internet are secured through keys that encrypt and decrypt information. As greater computing power becomes more accessible, the threat of having our data compromised increases too.
A novel field of cybersecurity called quantum key distribution (QKD) holds the key to better securing our data, even against the most powerful computers. The LUCQIA initiative will help develop and implement this “ultra-secure communication infrastructure” by connecting at least two geographical sites.
“Developing a robust quantum communication infrastructure leveraging both terrestrial and satellite optical links will guarantee the security of our data in our communications network well into our future,” says Professor Symeon Chatzinotas, principal investigator of the project and head of SIGCOM at SnT.
“[…]we have taken it upon ourselves, through SnT’s scientific leadership, to lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s quantum communication infrastructure.”
Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg prime minister
Staying Ahead
Next to maintaining high standards of data security, the initiative also ensures that Luxembourg remains internationally competitive.
“Luxembourg wants to remain the state-of-the-art communication hub it has become over the last decade. That is why we have taken it upon ourselves, through SnT’s scientific leadership, to lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s quantum communication infrastructure,” comments prime minister Xavier Bettel.
Datacentres, communication networks, the banking industry, transport and the energy sector are only a few of the sectors which stand to benefit massively from LUQCIA.
“Quantum Communication Infrastructure is a requisite component towards Quantum Internet. The other one is Quantum Computing. When the concept reaches higher TRLs, it will have a deep impact across the entire ICT ecosystem and the corresponding end-users,” explains Professor Symeon Chatzinotas.
Expected to be up and running in 2023, the LUQCIA initiative will also be open to national and international stakeholders for joint research activities within SnT’s Partnership Programme framework.
For more information on the project check out the following link.
