The Project

The development of Quantum Computers (QC) is opening up exciting new frontiers, but it comes at the cost of breaking the foundations of current digital security. The research community is working to define Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to counter this threat. However, the transition to PQC is delicate and time-consuming because it affects many functions, algorithms, and protocols in an a priori unknown cascade of dependencies.

QUBIP is designed to contribute to the EU transition to PQC with the aim of streamlining the process and creating a replicable transition model (and also to counter Post-Quantum threat as soon as possible).

QUBIP focuses on digital systems addressing the 5 main building blocks that use public-key cryptography for security purposes: hardware, cryptographic libraries, operating system, communication protocols and applications. QUBIP addresses all 5 blocks coherently solving all dependency issues that may arise within each block and between blocks with the ultimate goal of validating at TRL 6 three systems that use these blocks in IoT-based Digital Manufacturing, Internet Browsing, and Software Networks Environments for Telcos use cases.

The return on experience from the three practical exercises of transition to PQC will then be maximised through the development of a migration playbook. This will include the lessons learnt and an evaluation of any technical, economic, and regulatory barriers encountered, together with the solutions to overcome them, in order to enable the definition of a replicable process to provide structured support and practical guidance to industry stakeholders.

The technical activities will be underpinned by three supporting activities (i) evaluation of the capabilities of QCs to assess their implication to primitives, algorithms and protocols adopted, and contribution to (ii) standardization efforts addressing transition to PQC processes and (iii) policy measures addressing technology changes coming from the advent of QC and PQC.

Strategic Objectives

Evaluate the capabilities of quantum computers to assess their implication to PQ algorithms adopted by the QUBIP project.

Address the transition of IoT devices focusing on HW implementation of quantum-resistant public-key cryptography in the form of both external and integrated Secure Elements.

Explore the transition of OpenSSL and NSS cryptographic libraries to PQC through loadable modules with the main goal of plugging (i) PQ algorithms and schemes in the existing software ecosystem and (ii) PQ hardware implementations transparently.

Start the transition of Fedora OS to PQC by addressing the integration of PQ libraries (i.e. OpenSSL and NSS) to provide the upper layers quantum-secure communication capabilities through PQ/T Hybrid TLS 1.3. This objective subtends retro compatibility with traditional cryptography-based operations.

Experiment with the transition of Firefox browser toward a post-quantum security state through adoption of PQ/T Hybrid TLS 1.3 for key-exchange and authentication, and PQ zero-knowledge Verifiable Credentials (PQ zero-knowledge VCs) for authentication and authorization.

Hardening the security of IPsec by extending key exchange capabilities leveraging the convergence of Quantum-Key Distribution and PQC.

Experiment with the transition of three real-world systems to quantum-secure state leveraging a proper combination of the cryptographic agile building blocks developed in accordance with previous five strategic objectives (from 2 to 6).

Validate the three systems enabling Quantum-secure (i) IoT-based Digital Manufacturing, (ii) Internet Browsing, and (iii) Software Networks Environments for Telco Operators.

Build and maximize the return on experience from the three transition exercises evaluating all the technical, economic, and legal barriers encountered and proposing the solutions to overcome them.

Maximize industrial impact by contributing to relevant standards bodies and open-source projects directly involved or impacted by transition to PQC.

Methodology

The QUBIP project is multi-disciplinary in nature, QUBIP works on multiple solutions and technologies following five different methodological steps specifically designed to go beyond the state of the art and achieve its strategic objectives.