Toshiba has launched a quantum-safe networking platform designed to simplify deployment by reducing the need for specialised fibre connectivity and equipment, as organisations prepare for potential security threats posed by quantum computing.
The Japanese company is targeting network operators, enterprises, public-sector organisations and data centre operators with a platform that integrates with existing network infrastructure, allowing organisations to adopt quantum-safe technologies without rebuilding their networks.
Toshiba said the platform could also create competitive advantages and new revenue opportunities, positioning quantum-safe networking as more than a security upgrade.
The company warned that some malicious actors are already harvesting data for decryption when compatible quantum computers become available. It added that governments, regulators and standards bodies are pressing organisations to address the potential threats.
The platform is designed to operate through a single dedicated connection across large metropolitan networks, hub-and-spoke configurations, rings, mesh networks and long-distance networks.
Andrew Shields, vice-president of Toshiba Europe and head of its Quantum Technology Division, said the platform was expected to offer a cost-effective solution for deployments across large-scale networks.
The system combines post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution and random number generation to strengthen network security against emerging threats associated with quantum computing.
Hiroshi Tsukino, vice-president of Toshiba’s ICT Solutions Division, described the transition to quantum-safe technologies as “the largest cryptographic transformation in history”.
He urged organisations to begin preparing now, emphasising the need to address future security risks before quantum computing advances make existing encryption methods more vulnerable.
