Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Quantum Network Steering

Project description

New approach redefines trust in quantum network design

Achieving secure and efficient quantum networks is a major challenge in advancing quantum technologies. Current methods either fully trust network devices, which could lead to malfunctioning vulnerabilities or unnoticed hacking, or fully distrust them, making implementation impractical with today’s technology. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the QNETS project will help overcome this challenge by using quantum steering – a flexible approach that assigns trust levels to each device based on their role in the network. This will enable the development of secure quantum networks using near-term technologies under more realistic security assumptions. QNETS will lay out the theoretical framework for quantum steering, develop mathematical tools and design practical protocols for applications such as cryptography.

Objective

Over the last decade, quantum networks have grown as one of the top candidates to greatly enhance secure processing, communication and computation of information. They exploit entanglement (distributed by photons) to establish correlations between distant systems that are stronger than possible with classical physics. These strong quantum correlations can boost technologies beyond classical limits: they provide a quantum advantage. However, common theoretical approaches to quantum networks suffer from the trade-off between quantum advantages, experimental demands, and security. A first approach is to fully-trust the implementation of network devices, i.e. to assume no defects or malicious behaviour. While optimally providing quantum advantages, this approach is vulnerable to malfunctioning or unnoticed hacking, rendering it insecure for applications. The second approach fully-distrusts the devices and assumes they are subjected to hacking attacks. While providing the highest-level of security, this approach is currently too demanding to practically implement it, rendering it unrealistic for near-term technologies. QNETS will overcome this challenge through the concept of quantum steering. In a steering approach, the network is composed of both, fully-trusted and fully-distrusted devices. It assigns a level of trust to each device individually depending on its role in the network, allowing for implementations of quantum networks under more realistic security assumptions using near-term technologies. In an inter-disciplinary effort, QNETS combines techniques from quantum information, applied mathematics, and computer science. In particular, QNETS will (1) lay out the theoretical foundation of quantum network steering (2) develop mathematical tools for its characterization, and (3) design protocols for its real-world applications, such as cryptography. Upon completion, QNETS will pave the way for the long-term goal of a quantum internet for information processing.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET AUTOMATIQUE
Net EU contribution
€ 226 420,56
Address
DOMAINE DE VOLUCEAU ROCQUENCOURT
78153 Le Chesnay Cedex
France
Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Yvelines
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
No data