Test Bed Demonstrator to Build Trust in Future Cryptography Systems

The aim of this project is to provide UK industries such as the finance and
digital media sectors with the most advanced, secure and future-proof
trading networks in the world. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) uses the laws
of quantum mechanics to provide a directly quantifiable data security as it
is transferred from one location to another. As eavesdropping activities
increase the Quantum Bit Error Rate (QBER), by monitoring the QBER value,
QKD provides a means to detect the presence of an eavesdropper. This allows
a secure encryption key to be distributed to the recipient which is then
used for message encryption. The unique partnership between the National
Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Toshiba Research Europe Limited (TREL)
provides an opportunity to deliver a set standard measurements relevant to
the security of QKD systems. This provides manufacturers, system providers
and customers, such as the UK Government and financial institutions, a
platform to test the security and utility of QKD. The final deliverable in
this project is to carry out a high profile demonstration in the UK to
showcase the features and benefits of QKD.