Ayesa Digital has kicked off the BAQURA project, which will prepare companies in the industrial sector to protect their critical data with post-quantum cybersecurity. The objective is to investigate and validate mechanisms that facilitate the transition from traditional cryptography towards solutions resistant to future threats from quantum computing, especially in organizations in the industrial sector that depend on critical digital infrastructures.
Technical work focuses on critical industrial environments – OT networks, IoT devices and 4G/5G communications – to strengthen data protection and operational continuity in essential areas such as energy, access control and security. These capabilities are especially relevant for the industrial sector, where the protection of information and the availability of systems are essential to guarantee operability. The project also seeks to guarantee compatibility with systems already deployed and facilitate a gradual and secure migration for companies in the industrial sector.
Led by Ayesa Digital, BAQURA is financed by the Basque Government through the SPRI Group (Basque Business Development Agency) within the HAZITEK Program – Business R&D Support Program, and also has the participation of ITS Security, Multiverse Computing, Dorlet, LKS, Ibernova, Cegasa and Cybertix. All of them make up a value chain that covers research in cryptography resistant to quantum attacks (PQC), high-security quantum and virtual communications, integration into industrial protocols and architectures, and demonstration in real use cases aimed at the industrial sector.
“This multidisciplinary collaboration will allow defining requirements and architecture of the BAQURA platform, selecting and adapting algorithms for devices with limited resources, and evaluating their integration into protocols and networks widely used in the industrial sector,” says Itziar Cuenca, R&D director at Ayesa Digital.
Hybridization of PQC technologies with QKD
The general objectives of the project include the design and validation of a comprehensive platform for the transition to post-quantum cryptography, the hybridization of PQC technologies with QKD and VQKD, and the creation of migration methodologies and standards that facilitate their adoption in productive environments without interrupting operations. These methodologies will be especially aimed at facilitating the implementation of these technologies in the industrial sector, where critical systems require controlled and safe transition processes.
The definition of dynamic deployment strategies (OTA) and the measurement of performance indicators (KPIs) are planned to allow monitoring the progress and impact of the solutions in real industrial scenarios, contributing to improving the digital resilience of the industrial sector in the face of future threats.
Within the framework of the consortium, the Ayesa Group, represented by Ayesa Digital and ITS Security, assumes a leading role in defining the technological architecture and identifying technical, operational and regulatory barriers for the adoption of PQC in OT environments, especially in organizations in the industrial sector.
The project seeks to guarantee compatibility with systems already deployed and facilitate a secure migration for companies in the industrial sector.
Likewise, it leads the adaptation and implementation of hybrid security protocols – such as TLS, IPSec or SSH – with post-quantum algorithms, guaranteeing interoperability with existing infrastructures and reinforcing resilience against emerging threats. The contribution of Ayesa Digital and ITS also extends to the planning of secure deployments and the evaluation of migration and adoption standards, accelerating the transfer of results to the industrial sector.
The R&D director assures that “BAQURA is a strategic commitment to anticipate the new paradigm of industrial cybersecurity: we promote a responsible transition towards post-quantum technologies, compatible with current systems and focused on protecting critical assets in sectors such as energy and security, especially within the industrial sector.”
