Quantum-Safe networks: today and into the future

Read this guest blog by Nigel Abraham as part of Tech and Innovation Focus Week 2026.

1. Build a Quantum-Ready Digital Infrastructure

2. Secure the Nation’s Data with Quantum-Resistant Solutions

Nokia's "Quantum-Safe Networks" white paper highlights the urgent need to protect communication infrastructure from "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks. Powerful future quantum computers will break current public-key encryption. Nokia advocates for a phased, defense-in-depth approach to secure networks today and transition to future-proof cryptographic standards. 

The Quantum Threat

The threat landscape has two urgent dimensions. First, bad actors are already engaged in “harvest now, decrypt later” (HNDL) attacks: they intercept and stockpile encrypted data today, confident that once a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) is developed, that historical data can be decrypted at will. Second, the mathematical foundations of widely used asymmetric cryptography—RSA, ECC, and their peers—are highly susceptible to quantum algorithms such as Shor’s, meaning that the entire edifice of current public-key encryption is at risk.

Leverage Nokia’s Quantum Secure Network (QSN) Advantage

Amid these priorities, Nokia’s Quantum Secure Network (QSN) stands out as a ready-to-deploy, commercially viable solution that aligns with the UK’s needs. QSN delivers end-to-end quantum-grade security by combining quantum key distribution with classical encryption, providing provably secure communications for critical infrastructure. Its architecture is built on Nokia’s existing telecom backbone, allowing it to be rolled out across metropolitan, regional, and national networks without requiring massive new infrastructure investment. The platform adheres to emerging international standards, ensuring seamless integration with future quantum devices and post-quantum cryptographic systems. Nokia has already piloted QSN in several European cities, demonstrating reliability, low latency, and cost-effectiveness at scale.

Countermeasures for Today

Nokia’s countermeasures are deployable today. The foundation is a Symmetric Key Infrastructure (SKI) that applies physical-layer, quantum-safe encryption using symmetric keys rather than the vulnerable public-key pairs that quantum computers could crack. Layered on top of this is multilayer protection: by deploying encryption across multiple network layers—MACsec at the data link layer and OTNsec at the optical layer using AES-256—data remains secure against interception at every point in its journey. Underpinning both is the Nokia 1830 Security Management Server (SMS), which serves as a central key generation engine, securing optical transport networks in a cost-effective and operationally manageable way.

The Future: Transitioning to Quantum Safety

The long-term solution lies in post-quantum cryptography (PQC): new mathematical algorithms, endorsed by standards bodies such as NIST, that are designed to withstand attack from quantum computers. Critically, networks must be built with crypto agility—the architectural flexibility to swap out classical cryptographic schemes for PQC equivalents without requiring wholesale hardware overhauls. In the interim, experts recommend hybrid approaches that blend traditional encryption with newer quantum-safe methods, ensuring robust defence against both conventional and nascent quantum threats during the transition period.

For a deeper dive into the transition timeline and methodologies, and catch-up on how other Operators and Countries are addressing this issue, check out the Nokia Quantum-Safe Networks page.

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