Quantum companies leading the charge to protect critical infrastructure from future cyberattacks

Two Ontario companies are stepping up to secure Canada’s critical infrastructure against future cyberattacks. With support from Canada’s federally funded Digital Innovation Cluster (DIGITAL),  Metropolitan Technologies and Quantum Bridge Technologies are developing a world-first quantum-safe cybersecurity solution to defend against cyberattacks made possible by future quantum computers. This initiative is supported by Thales, a global company specializing in advanced technology solutions, including cybersecurity resilience. Thales has over 1,400 employees across Canada. 

DIGITAL is investing $1.2 million into the Quantum-Safe Critical Infrastructure Protection project led by Quantum Bridge Technologies, which aims to commercialize a hardware and software cryptography solution capable of withstanding quantum-based cyber threats. The investment is part of DIGITAL’s broader $4.7 million co-investment across three projects, which is further supported by $7.3 million in private partner contributions.

“This is our first paid pilot project,” said Daly Brown, co-founder and CEO of Metropolitan Technologies. “It solves a real problem for industries, particularly for critical infrastructure.” 

“Originally, critical infrastructure systems were never designed, or envisioned to be used in a connected environment with adversaries all over the world,” said Brown. “If you’re controlling something over the internet and you’re using standard cryptography, that is already, on paper, broken.”

To address this, the project will deploy a cybersecurity platform that the University of Toronto is independently testing to ensure it is safe and secure against any future quantum threat.

Quantum Bridge Technologies recently achieved a major milestone by meeting the standards of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program.

Co-founder and CEO, Mattia Montagna, says it’s important to act now.

“If you deal with data which have value for you in the future, whether in 5, 10, or 15 years, you need to protect that data with some form of cryptography that you are sure will resist anything happening in the next 15 years,” said Montagna.

For example, the information hospitals collect about their patients is private and needs to remain confidential. The same goes for data like military records or government information. This kind of data can still be important, even many years later. Intellectual property (IP) should also be considered. For example, a pharmaceutical company may need to protect its IP for several years before it can officially patent it or start selling it.

Montagna also stressed the long-term implications for infrastructure and said awareness of the threat is growing. 

“The infrastructure that moves all this data will still be there in 15 years, so you need to design it and implement it in a quantum-safe way,” he said. “The market is really waking up and you start to see large infrastructure transitioning to quantum-safe communication.”

The pilot project has attracted significant industry support. 

“It reinforces our belief that we’re solving the problem, and we’re solving the right problem,” said Brown. “Having the backing of [DIGITAL] means a lot. It provides pedigree to the project, it provides visibility to the project, and someone else has decided that their money is worth spending on it.”

The funding will also strengthen Quantum Bridge and Metropolitan Technologies’ relationships with Thales. Since 2013, Thales has been engaged in research, development, and standardization efforts in Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC). Thales' High Speed Encryptors, part of the DIGITAL network encryption solution, offer a hybrid approach that combines traditional cryptography with PQC. These devices are FIPS-compliant and incorporate pre-standard PQC algorithm candidates across all current hardware models.

“This activity demonstrates Thales’ commitment to collaborate with Canadian institutions, leveraging our expertise in cybersecurity and advanced technologies to ensure a secure, resilient digital future. By working together with Canada’s leading research organizations, we are not only advancing post-quantum cryptography but also strengthening Canada’s ability to navigate the evolving landscape of digital security, building upon our leadership in Canada’s innovation ecosystem,” said Lionel Merrien, VP of Strategy and Innovation for Cyber Security Products at Thales, based in Canada at one of Thales ’ Cyber Security Products four major research hubs.

“The grant is allowing us to put this all together and work together on this,” said Brown. “It also allowed us to assemble a good team. Quantum Bridge invented the technology. We provide a platform that integrates it, and Thales provides hardware, applications, security solutions and years of post-quantum expertise to deploy these types of complicated solutions to the market.”

Brown said being part of the local tech ecosystem has also played a role in supporting the company to get to this stage.

“We recently joined the Communitech Investment Readiness Track, and that’s been a really good program, it’s super helpful,” said Brown, underscoring the value of community and collaboration within the Kitchener-Waterloo tech ecosystem.

For Montagna, whose passion for physics and cryptography led him to start Quantum Bridge Technologies, this is an exciting time for quantum advancements. 

“I knew when we launched Quantum Bridge that it was the right time to take these problems seriously and bring quantum-secure communication solutions to market,” he said. “It’s great to do it here from Canada and the Toronto-Waterloo corridor.”