Dr. Christian Deppe from Technische Universität Braunschweig delivered a compelling presentation titled “Cybersecurity Powered by Quantum – Here’s How!”, as part of the prestigious Science Talk series.
This dialogue-driven format connects leading scientists from regional universities, non-academic institutions, and industry — including Volkswagen — with a curious audience from society, business, and politics. The mission: to make high-level science communication engaging, accessible, and interdisciplinary.
Dr. Deppe’s talk focused on cutting-edge research in quantum communication, especially findings from the 6G-life project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). A key concern: How can quantum physics help us defend digital infrastructure against the threats posed by future technologies?
One of the biggest risks in cybersecurity today stems from the rapid advancement of quantum computers, which may soon be able to break widely used encryption methods — notably via the Shor algorithm, capable of undermining current public-key systems.
Yet quantum physics also offers the solution. Instead of relying on mathematical complexity, quantum key distribution (QKD) leverages the fundamental laws of nature to ensure truly secure communication. These technologies aren’t hypothetical — they’re being actively developed and tested across Europe and Germany.
The presentation concluded with an outlook on current initiatives to build a quantum internet, develop quantum repeaters, and establish secure quantum protocols.
