QuSecure Brings Post-Quantum Cryptography Protection to Cisco Routers

Post-quantum cryptography company QuSecure has released a product designed to protect Cisco router-to-router communications against emerging quantum threats.

QuProtect Core Security uses crypto-agile post-quantum cryptography. According to QuSecure, it offers a seamless and robust security layer, protecting critical network infrastructures for enterprises, government and telecommunications providers. 

It aims to protect Cisco routers from the threat near-future quantum computers pose to public-key cryptography in widespread use, including harvest now, decrypt later attacks, and works alongside Cisco’s Secure Key Integration Protocol (SKIP). 

QuProtect requires no hardware upgrades and is designed to be used alongside other post-quantum measures, such as deploying an external post-quantum key distribution system to upgrade encryption.

According to QuSecure, the company created the product Core in response to customer demand. It particularly targets users in telecommunication, financial services and government sectors addressing post-quantum cryptography migration.

QuProtect Core is compliant with NIST post-quantum cryptography standards. It targets critical use cases including core network infrastructure management, mobile network backhaul and data-center-to-data-center communications without prior cryptographic discovery and inventory processes.

Related:Cybersecurity in a Post-Quantum World

“The launch of QuProtect Core Security embodies our relentless pursuit of securing the future of digital communications by bringing to life frictionless solutions that protect the most critical data flows. The solution is not simply post-quantum encryption. It brings discovery, inventory, telemetry, and cryptographic controls into a single pane of glass,” said QuSecure co-founder and chief product Officer Rebecca Krauthamer.

Estimates of Cisco’s share of the router market vary, but most hover around the 50% mark, making the company the market leader by a substantial amount, despite increasing competition in recent years.