Initial tests at the TÜV NORD GROUP's Europe-leading laboratory for quantum key exchange

TÜV Informationstechnik GmbH (TÜVIT), a company belonging to the TÜV NORD GROUP, has successfully carried out initial security evaluations on a complete system for quantum key distribution (QKD). Using state-of-the-art laser and detection technologies in a specially constructed optical laboratory, TÜVIT is testing quantum communication methods that are expected to revolutionise the future by ensuring tap-proof digital data transmission.  

As future quantum computers are expected to compromise and break conventional encryption methods, quantum key distribution offers a promising alternative. This technology uses the principles of quantum physics to transmit information with an unprecedented level of security. "We are on the threshold of a new era in communication technology that will literally take us a quantum leap forward in terms of secure information transmission and, ideally, make our digital world tap-proof. At TÜVIT's QKD laboratory, we are driving technological development forward, providing yet another example of the innovative strength of the TÜV NORD GROUP," says Dirk Stenkamp, CEO of TÜV NORD AG.
 
TÜVIT is testing the first commercial QKD systems in its research laboratory. They consist of a source that generates so-called entangled photon pairs and two receivers that receive these photons and could derive a provably secure key from them. The entangled photons are transmitted via a fibre connection. TÜVIT simulates realistic attack scenarios on this connection in order to validate the security of the systems and ensure that they meet the highest security standards. The tests focus on the functionality and security of the QKD system. "It is realistic to assume that attackers could potentially gain access to the physical connection. This is precisely the assumption on which our tests are based: We are specifically testing this connection to identify possible attack paths and evaluate the robustness of the systems," explains Sven Bettendorf, project manager of the QKD laboratory project at TÜVIT.

The QKD laboratory is part of the project "Blueprint of a Certification Ecosystem for QKD Systems and Applications" (QuNET+BlueCert). The project is financially supported by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and aims to establish the technological basis for testing, qualifying and certifying QKD components and systems. "As an independent testing authority, we at TÜVIT ensure that these technologies meet the highest security standards and that confidence in this revolutionary technology is strengthened," says Bettendorf. After an intensive period of planning and development, TÜVIT began
setting up the state-of-the-art QKD research laboratory in early 2025. The first QKD systems now being tested come from the associated project partner, Quantum Optics Jena GmbH. "Independent verification of functionality and correct implementation are extremely important for the trust and acceptance of these novel technologies. We are delighted that TÜVIT has now established these capabilities," explains Kevin Füchsel, Managing Director of Quantum Optics Jena.

The TÜV NORD GROUP's QKD laboratory in Essen is one of the first of its kind in Europe.

Project partners:
BearingPoint GmbH, Frankfurt am Main (network coordinator) - TÜV Informationstechnik GmbH - Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen - Pixel Photonics GmbH, Münster - Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig - Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF), Jena - Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC), Berlin location - Fraunhofer Institute for Communications, Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), Berlin - Quantum Optics Jena GmbH, Jena (associated partner) - Quantum Space Systems GmbH, Munich (associated partner)