Post Quantum Telco Network Task Force

Our Task Force ensures new quantum networks remain secure, with emerging challenges addressed promptly and efficiently.

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About the task force

The task force has gained significant momentum and now includes more than 50 companies and over 20 major operators. The telecommunications industry is vital to how the world connects, from how we work and play, to emergency response and critical national infrastructure.

Quantum computers will be able to solve mathematical challenges beyond the reach of classical techniques, and a thriving research community is exploring how their capabilities may be applied for positive benefit across multiple industry sectors – and society at large.

While precise timelines are uncertain, it is also accepted that quantum computers powerful enough to break the most common encryption standards used today will become available in the future. That means the encryption we currently use to protect telco systems, particularly public-key encryption, will be vulnerable once these cryptographically relevant quantum computers reach sufficient maturity.

Moving to the quantum future

Ultimately, the transition to new post-quantum cybersecurity standards and practices will be a multi years process, and it will require continued industry cooperation through groups like the GSMA Post-Quantum Telco Network Task Force to provide guidance and support. Whilst every organisation will approach the quantum risk assessment process in its own way, starting now to build and educate the right teams who understand the quantum threats, impacts, and responses as well as formulating future-looking mitigation plans is key to preparing for the quantum future.

‘Harvest now, decrypt later’ attack

Bad actors harvest and store encrypted data for later decryption — any encrypted data stolen today could become vulnerable should a bad actor gain access to a cryptographically-relevant quantum computer in the future. The telco industry needs to adopt new cryptography algorithms and cybersecurity practices that provide resistance to future attack by quantum computers.

As organizations like the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) release post-quantum cryptography standards in the coming years, it will also be important to transition any public-key encryption to new post-quantum cryptography algorithms so that data remains protected now, and in the quantum era.

Joining the Task Force

The GSMA invites organisations to join our Task Force. Your joining process will depend on your GSMA Membership and Member Gateway status:

Subscribe to GSMA Post-Quantum community

Subscribing to our community is a way to ensure you stay updated with the latest developments as the industry undergoes this journey to the quantum-safe era. For enquiries, please send email to gsmapostquantum@gsma.com.