Project Partners develop new Approaches for long-term secure Data Transmission:
Optical fibre networks transport vast amounts of data using light signals but are reaching their technical limits when it comes to security and protection against eavesdropping. Quantum Networks take a decisive step further by protecting digital information against unauthorised access. Unlike Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum Networks are based on the fundamental laws of Quantum Mechanics. These enable communication methods in which eavesdropping attempts can be detected through the laws of physics. One example is Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), which enables the secure exchange of cryptographic keys and thereby introduces a fundamentally new level of security. Technologies such as PQC and QKD are therefore considered highly promising for critical infrastructures, including governments, public authorities, the healthcare sector and the financial industry. In view of the growing threat posed by future high-performance Quantum Computers, Quantum Networks could make an important contribution to ensuring long-term secure data communication. Against this background, the collaborative project “Quantum Domain Sources (QDD)” was launched in early June 2026. The project is funded by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR) with €3.83 million under the funding programme “Secure Deployment of Quantum Communication in Practical Applications.”
The aim of the project is to develop interconnected local Quantum Domains that enable secure data exchange over long distances. One of the key challenges of QKD is the limited transmission range of Quantum Signals, which is currently restricted to a few hundred kilometres. Although greater distances can be bridged using so-called trusted nodes, these represent potential security risks because they must be fully trusted. The QDD project therefore develops new approaches to overcome this limitation and lay the foundation for secure Quantum Networks spanning large distances. In addition to Infosim GmbH & Co. KG as the project coordinator, the consortium comprises Quant‑X Security & Coding GmbH, Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG, the Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Optik und Feinmechanik (IOF), the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, and the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Click here for more information.
Source reference: https://www.med.uni-wuerzburg.de/aktuelles/meldungen/single/news/quantennetz-sicheren-datenverkehr-internet-zukunft/