Singapore taps Fortinet for quantum security tech

Singapore’s Quantum Engineering Programme (QEP) is working cybersecurity solutions provider Fortinet to support country’s National Quantum-Safe Network (NQSN) project. 

Funded by the National Research Foundation of Singapore (NRF), the NQSN seeks to develop an ultra-secure communications and services infrastructure to safeguard digital transactions against sophisticated cyber threats.

Fortinet’s work with NQSN will support QEP in proof of concepts and jointly explore use cases for quantum-safe communications. 

The company will provide resources in network security including prototypes that can interface to quantum devices for trials within the NQSN.

Fortinet has demonstrated capabilities to interoperate with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system. QKD technology can create random encryption keys and transmit them in a secure way across a fibre connection. 

Leveraging on its capabilities to offer security-driven networking solutions, Fortinet’s firewalls were able to receive randomly-generated quantum keys, and use them to encrypt data to be sent 20 kilometres remotely using Fortinet IP-VPN (Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network) solutions to provide quantum-safe encryption.

As a partner in NQSN, Fortinet is engaged in forward-looking national initiative that seeks to thwart cyber attacks from future, large-scale quantum computers and identify new use cases for quantum technologies. Through this collaboration, Fortinet will support Singapore’s ongoing transition into a trusted digital innovation hub.

“The NSQN will rely on public-private collaborations to become an effective testbed and it needs to bridge advanced quantum-safe communication technologies to practical use-cases,” said Alexander Ling, director of the QEP.

Jess Ng, Fortinet country head of Singapore and Brunei, said their support for the QEP will boost the development of quantum-safe communication technologies that will transform the digital landscape. 

“This will also set the stage for organisations to adopt a security-driven networking approach when it comes to future deployment,” said Ng.