Toshiba Launches QSN Platform to Protect Networks from Quantum Attacks

On October 21, Toshiba introduced the Quantum-Safe Networking Platform (QSN) – a solution for telecom operators, data centers, large enterprises, and government agencies. The platform integrates three technologies: post-quantum cryptography (PQC), quantum key distribution (QKD), and quantum random number generators (QRNG). It can be implemented into existing infrastructure without network restructuring – from a single secure connection to distributed systems with multiple nodes. Toshiba's launch is linked to the threat of 'store now, decrypt later': attackers are accumulating intercepted data in anticipation of the emergence of quantum computers.

The hardware includes QSN Transceiver 1550/1310, QSN Link 1550/1310 for point-to-point connections, QSN Hub and QSN Spoke for hub-and-spoke networks (one hub serves hundreds of sites, reducing equipment, energy consumption, and costs), as well as QSN Multiplexer, which transmits quantum and conventional channels over existing fiber optics, including DWDM traffic. The software part consists of QSN Key Delivery System, QSN Key Management System on x86 servers, and QSN Controller with visualization, configuration, and automation via SDN.

Andrew Shields, Vice President of Toshiba Europe's quantum division, noted that the platform reduces the cost and complexity of deployment: instead of separate equipment for each connection, operators can serve multiple clients and nodes through a single system. Hiroshi Tsukino, Vice President of Toshiba's ICT Solutions Division, called the transition to quantum-resistant protection one of the largest transformations of cryptographic infrastructure and urged starting with the most critical connections. Toshiba plans to develop QSN with telecom operators, data centers, and critical infrastructure providers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2022, JPMorgan, Toshiba, and Ciena developed a prototype to protect blockchain nodes from quantum computing, and in June 2026, Colt Technology Services and Ciena conducted a test transmission with quantum-resistant encryption between New York and London – 6900 km at a speed of 800 Gbps.