Quantum computing company Quantinuum Ltd. and machine and internet of things identity platform provider Keyfactor Inc. announced a new partnership today to strengthen the root of trust with quantum entropy.

The root of trust is a set of functions or components within a system that are always trusted and upon which the security of the entire system is built. It serves as the foundation for security operations, providing a secure starting point for processes like verifying the integrity of software or hardware components and establishing secure communication channels.

The Quantinuum-Keyfactor partnership sees the integration of Quantum Origin, its service designed to provide a verified source of quantum entropy, to deliver quantum entropy into Keyfactor’s public key infrastructure platform. Doing so, the companies said, enhances the security and integrity of digital certificates against advanced cyberthreats, especially those posed by the advent of quantum computing.

They argue that traditional technologies used to generate certificates that secure digital interactions will be at risk from advanced cyberattacks, particularly as the computational power of quantum computers advances. If the certificates can be broken, the security of banking, e-commerce and machine-to-machine connections could be compromised by undetectable attacks.

The proposed solution is quantum-safe cryptography, starting with strengthening the entropy used when generating certificates. Entropy refers to the randomness or unpredictability used in cryptographic processes, with high-quality randomness necessary for secure cryptographic operations.

Integrating quantum entropy into Keyfactor’s platform, Quantinuum said, strengthens the root of trust used to provide certificates. Quantum-strengthening the root of trust reduces the risk that sophisticated attackers could crack the certificates and use that information to compromise digital systems.

“The security and integrity of digital communications and transactions depend on the strength of digital certificates,” said Quantinuum head of cybersecurity Duncan Jones. “By integrating Quantum Origin, Keyfactor’s customers can now leverage the world’s only source of verified quantum entropy to strengthen certificate generation.”

Quantinuum was last in the news on Jan. 16 when it raised $300 million in funding on a $5 billion pre-money valuation. JPMorgan Chase & Co. led the round, with Honeywell International Inc., Mitsui & Co. and Amgen Inc. also participating.

Honeywell is the majority owner of Quantinuum, which emerged as a standalone company in 2021 following the merger of Honeywell’s quantum computing unit and CQC Ltd., a U.K.-based startup competitor.

Image: Quantinuum