Q-Secure Net is a project that aims to provide unconditionally secure communication services using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) on existing fiber optic networks. It will develop a quantum-secured blockchain application and implement a prototype QKD system integrated into a real metropolitan optical network. The project aims to provide quantum-secured infrastructure and blockchain-enabled financial services. It expects the global QKD market to grow significantly as the technology becomes strategic for new network architectures and applications in sectors like telecommunications, defense, and finance.

1. QKD & Quantum Secured Blockchain
Q-Secure Net: The experience from EIT Digital
Paolo Comi (Italtel) and Nadia Fabrizio (Cefriel-Politecnico di Milano)
2020 11 11, Berlin, Kuppinger Cybersecurity Summit 2020
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Q-Secure Net
Q-Secure Net will provide a cost
effective and flexible solution for
UNCONDITIONALLY SECURE
COMMUNICATION SERVICES
based on Quantum Key
Distribution (QKD) on current
metropolitan fiber-optic networks. A
novel blockchain application
based on the secure network
platform will be also implemented
.
https://www.eitdigital.eu/fileadmin/files/2020/fact
sheets/digital-tech/EIT-Digital-Factsheet-Q-
Secure-net.pdf

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© 2020 Italtel S.p.A. All rights reserved.
Italtel - Coordinator & Business Champion
Provide the end-to-end Quantum Secured Network solution.
Promote the development of the Quantum market (start with network operators and security
sensitive service providers).
Politecnico di Milano
Technology provider for quantum
generation and detection.
Development of a prototype of QKD
apparatus.
CNR
Error correction for information
reconciliation of the quantum key.
Telefonica
Support the deployment on a real optical
network in the Madrid metropolitan area.
Contribute to the product exploitation
and go-to-market strategy.
UPM
SDN software integration of QKD device
with the optical network
Help with to identify target customers
and define a go-to-market strategy.
Cefriel
Transactional business-to-
business service enabled by
blockchain technology with
increased security provided by
QKD.
Technology providers Integration in real network Quantum secure services
QSN Team & Roles
Supported by EIT Digital
a body of the European Union

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© 2020 Italtel S.p.A. All rights reserved.
Quantum Key Distribution
QKD uses quantum mechanics for
transmitting a sequence of bits
between two points.
Alice and Bob can share a secret key
for mathematically secure encrypted
communication
Totally immune from eavesdropping

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Customers of QKD technology
Market opportunities for infrastructure and service providers
QKD for INFRASTRUCTURE:
• Optical network Service
Providers
• Telco, Network Exchange
• Defence
• Public Sector, e.g. EU
QKD for SECURED SERVICES:
• Finance service providers
• Defence, Public Administration,
Industry communication
• Cloud providers (data lake
sync)
• Health caregivers (sensitive
data

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© 2020 Italtel S.p.A. All rights reserved.
QKD Market
The global QKD market is expected to grow over $980 million by 2024. In the long term, the QKD will be
strategic for the design of new architectures in many sectors like telco, defence and transports and
5G. QKD's infrastructural security and its ability to mitigate cyber-risks, also allow a whole new class of
approaches and applications for Decentralised Finance.
.
European & others
EU made
KOREA
(IdQuantique)
JAPAN
(Toshiba)
CHINA
(Huawei)

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Q-Secure Net Project
Main Scope:
Quantum-trasmitter (Alice) + quantum-receiver (Bob)
integrated into production optical network
Supporting
Quantum-secured B2B financial service: e-wallet
management using blockchain
(Quantum-level security)
Main Scope: Infrastructure & Quantum Secured Services
Distributed Ledger
Technology
IP Network
OTN Network
QKD Network

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User A2
Customers
User A1
User B2
User B1
Customers
Service provider network
QKD QKD
Alice Bob
QSN d-1 - 1st product version
General availability end year 2020
QKD AS A SERVICE
QKD in the service provider network.
Encryption keys delivered to the user over (classical)
secure channel
Product Features
• Discrete variable protocol: a cost-effective variant of
the BB84 protocol
• Quantum channel (laser wavelength): around 1310 nm
(O-band)
• Transmission speed: 100 b/s
• Secure key rate: 64 b/s (20 dB link loss)
• Span fiber length: 10-20 km
Distinctive features
• Use of traffic fiber (no dark fiber)
• Any topology (SDN integration)
• ETSI Standard compliance
• Multiplexing, Multicast, Broadcast (future)

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Central Exchange allowing the conversion of cryptocurrencies
among heterogeneous blockchains have resulted to be neither
resilient nor able to scale.
In the recent exploration, Decentralized Exchange (VASP nodes)
have been proposed to tackle to improve the overall capability of
decentralized finance ecosystem
SYMMETRIC TIMESTAMPS & KEYS
THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION (KEYS, HASHTIMELOCK) AMONGS
VASPS NODES MIGHT BE SECURED BY QKD IN ORDER TO ALLOW
INTEROPERABILITY OF DIFFERENT BLOCKCHAIN NETWOTKS
Decentralized Finance Scenario Today

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Atomic Swap between two blockchains over a QKD
Atomic Swaps for Dex
two “peer” in two chains exchange exchange the
symmetric Hashtimelock (H) to allow Dex
How QKD secure the Swap?
Quantum-secured Atomic Swap occur when H is
exchange over a QKD instead that a traditional Internet
secured connection
Applications
Interoperability of “chains”, like in Financial scenarios
for exchange of cryptocurrencies.
In future, possible to investigate application in Telco &
media scenarios.
Symmetric exchange of «hashtimelocks» over a QKD allows a secure «Atomic»
Swap in Dex Scenarios
IP Network
OTN Network
QKD Network
I. SWAP over QKD
II. Secure Exchange
of “Crypto” over
different chain
Distributed Ledger
Technology

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Thank you
Nadia Fabrizio
Blockchain Expert & FORESIGHT
CEFRIEL
Nadia.Fabrizio@Cefriel.com
www.Cefriel.com
Paolo Comi
Research and Innovation Manager
ITALTEL
Paolomaria.Comi @italtel.com
https://research.italtel.com

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© 2020 Italtel S.p.A. All rights reserved.
Resources
QSN fact sheet
• https://www.eitdigital.eu/fileadmin/files/2020/factsheets/digital-tech/EIT-Digital-Factsheet-Q-Secure-net.pdf
Cyber Security Leadership Summit 2020 (Berlin)
• https://www.kuppingercole.com/events/csls2020
• speech Nov 11: Quantum Secured Blockchain
CEN/CENELEC FGQT
• https://www.cencenelec.eu/standards/topics/quantumtechnologies/pages/default.aspx
• Quantum Technologies Roadmap
research.italtel.com
• https://research.italtel.com/projects/q-secure-net/
• https://research.italtel.com/quantum-key-distribution-new-frontier-security/
• https://research.italtel.com/integration-classic-cryptography-qkd/