2,000 Cybersecurity Experts x Quantum: First Time at the ONE Conference

Quantum Delta Delft’s Ahmed El-Kadars led the way with the Municipality of The Hague securing the presence of quantum-driven technologies in the prestigious ONE Conference earlier this month. The interactive session at the World Forum covered quantum resilience with a relevant real-world dive into Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). 

The all-star line-up showcasing challenges and solutions included: Jaya Baloo, (Cybersecurity expert), Ulrich Mans (QDNL), Teun van der Veen (TNO), Nicole van der Meulen (SURF), Dimitri van Esch (Quantum Gateway Foundation), Michal Krelina (QuDef), Remon Berrevoets (Q*Bird), Gustavo Castro do Amaral and Rafael Ochsendorf (TNO).

Below is an overview of the topics covered, which helped attendees gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and collaborative opportunities in addressing the quantum threat.

Organizations are encouraged to evaluate how quantum developments intersect with their security challenges. This involves identifying relevance, defining no-regret first steps, and shaping a strategic roadmap. The session also addressed the difficulty of getting started and emphasized building momentum through collaboration and internal awareness.

With growing interest in PQC and QKD, the discussion explored the stance on countering potential threats to the EU's critical infrastructure. Key questions included how collaboration can be orchestrated and what actions should be considered in light of future developments.

To ensure quantum technology is used for good, it’s essential to proactively eliminate the quantum threat. The conversation focused on concrete, no-regret moves in cryptography and the collective effort needed to highlight the importance of ethical and secure quantum applications.

A comprehensive perspective was shared on the threat landscape surrounding quantum communication systems. This included an analysis of the full attack lifecycle (kill chain), from reconnaissance to exploitation and disruption. Practical hacking approaches, such as side-channel attacks and implementation-level vulnerabilities, were discussed, along with countermeasures and resilience strategies, including the integration of quantum threat intelligence.

The session highlighted the gap between available quantum technologies and their implementation in relevant use cases. An interactive software framework was presented to demonstrate how quantum solutions can create greater societal impact.

The overarching theme emphasized the need for a more inclusive approach to mitigating the existential threat to current encryption standards that safeguard digital autonomy. Productive actions, stronger collaboration, and unity were identified as key to moving forward.