PQShield, a leading cybersecurity firm specialising in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), has joined the Cyber Research Consortium (CRC) in Japan.
The move aligns the company with the Japanese government’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to bolster the nation’s defences against quantum-enabled cyberattacks.
As a CRC member, PQShield will design and implement PQC protocols across Japan’s technology supply chain while contributing to global PQC standardisation efforts.
This work is part of NEDO’s initiative, ‘Enhancement of situational awareness and defence capabilities to counter cyberattacks’, funded under its K Program. The program unites public and private organisations to develop critical civil and defence technologies.
PQShield’s projects, subcontracted by CRC under NEDO’s grant, include designing PQC primitives and collaborating with Japan’s AIST to update non-PQC protocols to align with the latest NIST standards. Results will be shared in academic publications and international standards bodies, ensuring a global impact.
Dr Ali El Kaafarani, CEO of PQShield, said: “Securing critical infrastructure from quantum computers requires strong collaboration between governments, universities and the private sector, and this project is an ambitious and necessary step to protect against the quantum threat.
“Japan is an important market for PQShield and plays a critical role in the global technology supply chain. We are pleased to be working directly with NEDO and the government of Japan to help implement PQC across the country and protect against the cyberthreats of the future.”
