The Telefónica company is positioned as the first communications operator in Spain to offer a service aimed at protecting communications between companies’ Data Centers through post-quantum cryptography (PQC), a key technology to reinforce the security of communications against future risks derived from quantum computing.
The company’s new service, called CPDs Interconnection, is designed to guarantee the security of communications and information exchanged between Data Centers, since it is in these communications where large volumes of sensitive data are concentrated. These Telefónica communications networks connect the data processing centers (DPC) with the corporate headquarters and constitute a critical element within business digital infrastructures.
Thanks to this solution, Telefónica protects the future confidentiality of communications that carry critical and sensitive information, such as medical records, personal data, patents, financial information or confidential contracts. All of this in the face of threats such as the attack known as Store Now, Decrypt Later, through which cybercriminals intercept encrypted communications today to decrypt them in the future using quantum computing.
Security and resilience requirements
The CPDs Interconnection service incorporates various post-quantum or Quantum Safe cryptography options, such as ML-KEM, Classic McEliece or Frodo KEM. These technologies reinforce communications security and are aligned with the recommendations of international organizations such as the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) of the United States and the German authority BSI (Federal Office for Information Security). In this way, communications meet the security and resilience requirements demanded by European regulations on critical infrastructure.
Additionally, the service supports quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, which uses principles of quantum mechanics to create and distribute secret keys, further strengthening communications protection. Telefónica has more than 15 years of experience in the field of quantum communications, as demonstrated by the deployment of the Madrid QKD ring, known as TEFQCI, an experimental pre-commercial quantum communications network deployed in four of the company’s centers.
Likewise, Telefónica has collaborated with Vithas hospitals in projects in which QKD technology has been used to protect communications and medical data against future quantum computing attacks, thus guaranteeing the privacy and security of health information.
The service supports quantum key distribution (QKD) technology
Yolanda Bueno, Infrastructure Marketing Manager at Telefónica Spain, has stated: “At Telefónica we are very aware of the essential role that communications play in protecting the confidentiality of the critical information that circulates through our infrastructures. The CPDs Interconnection service, protected with Quantum Safe cryptography, represents a first step in the evolution of a line of services aimed at offering secure business communications against attacks derived from quantum computing, guaranteeing the future confidentiality and integrity of the operations of large companies and critical infrastructures.”
With this pioneering initiative, Telefónica reinforces its commitment to innovation and security in communications, placing Spain at the forefront of business data protection and critical communications in the face of the challenges of the digital future.
