Francis Bellido
CEO, Quantum eMotion
Every effective cybersecurity measure depends on encryption using high quality random numbers. And Quantum eMotion knows where the best randomness comes from.
Since the earliest days of the Internet, diligent cybersecurity has been the only way to retain peace of mind while reaping the benefits that come from an increasingly online existence. As the volume of sensitive data we communicate and store digitally has grown, of course, the incentives for cyber criminals to attack this information have expanded simultaneously. And so, a continuous arms race has led to a delicate balance where organizations must always be innovating to stay one step ahead of their attackers. The foundation of all effective cyber defense in this battle is to make encryption unpredictable by using random numbers. When the random numbers aren’t good enough, the walls crumble. But if there’s one thing computers are famously bad at, it’s generating randomness.
“The quality of the encryption always depends on the quality of the random numbers,” explains Francis Bellido, CEO of Canadian cybersecurity innovator Quantum eMotion. “When the ‘random’ numbers for the cryptographic key are created by an algorithm, there is an immediate vulnerability. A sophisticated hacker can exploit the fact that these numbers aren’t truly random.”
The one road to unimpeachable randomness
These not-quite-random numbers (pseudorandom, in tech parlance) can be attacked with sufficient dedication, computational resources, and time. And their weakness only becomes more concerning as transformative technologies like AI and quantum computers reshape our understanding of what is computationally possible. For the good guys, however, quantum technology also represents a rare opportunity to get a full step ahead of their adversaries through truly random numbers that are immune to the attacks of today and also the attacks of tomorrow.
The quality of the encryption always depends on the quality of the random numbers,
“The only way you can create pure randomness is to rely on quantum mechanics and quantum physics,” says Bellido. “We’ve known for quite a while that there is perfect randomness in these quantum and nuclear effects, but unfortunately, it’s impractical to embed a nuclear reactor in every data centre. What we have developed here in Quebec is an extremely simple quantum random number generator (QRNG) that can produce 2 gigabits of randomness per second by exploiting electron quantum tunnelling effects. And it’s totally safe and small enough to fit inside a microchip.”
This patented technology, based on groundbreaking work by world-renowned quantum physics researchers at the University of Sherbrooke, provides the ability to democratize access to future-safe encryption for organizations of all sizes. No nuclear reactor required. It also opens the door to cloud-based quantum-based cybersecurity solutions empowered by Entropy as a Service. In the field of computer and communication systems, entropy is the measure of randomness and uncertainty.
Futureproofing our increasingly online existence
Quantum eMotion has recently partnered with Quebec digital therapeutics healthcare leader Greybox to bring quantum security to Greybox’s entire remote therapeutic platform using a cloud-based implementation of QRNG technology. “Healthcare records are one of the top assets that hackers target,” says Bellido. “Greybox has this cutting-edge platform that lets them monitor, provide care, and even diagnose patients right in their own homes. But this is only viable if they can make that high throughput data connection completely secure with an extremely performant Quantum-based Entropy as a Service.”
From healthcare to banking to education to work, our lives continue to move ever more online, and we reap the benefits, in convenience, in flexibility, in productivity. Next generation cybersecurity innovations like cloud-based QRNGs keep us safe while we do so.
Discover the future of encryption at quantumemotion.com.
