MANTIS

The MANTIS project is developing photonic integrated components and system approaches for Measurement Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI-QKD) to provide a secure communication solution for critical infrastructures, particularly gas control systems. By leveraging quantum communication technologies, the project aims to enhance control system security and improve resilience against cyberattacks. A key focus is on creating a measurement device-independent QKD technology that is especially resistant to side-channel attacks, with its technical feasibility and benefits for energy and gas control systems currently under evaluation. Additionally, MANTIS will advance new methods for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and FPGA-based post-processing systems for QKD, paving the way for a scalable and cost-effective security solution.

As energy and gas networks become increasingly digital and interconnected, the security demands on communication infrastructures are rising. Critical infrastructures are often targeted by cyberattacks—particularly timing and blinding attacks—that threaten the integrity of existing security measures. MDI-QKD offers innovative solutions by ensuring:

• Secure key distribution: Attacks on detectors are eliminated by separating sender and receiver modules.
• Scalability: Multiple users can securely communicate through a central, untrusted relay station, enabling cost-efficient multi-user networks.
• Robustness: Using Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) for photonic integration improves efficiency, miniaturization, and stability against external disturbances.
• Future-proofing: With quantum computers posing a threat to classical encryption, MDI-QKD is inherently quantum secure.

MANTIS aims to create a demonstrable system for gas networks to assess and enhance the security of communication links between production and backup systems.

The project is structured around several key developments:

1. Creating photonic integrated sender and receiver modules for MDI-QKD.
2. Implementing an FPGA-based post-processing system for efficient processing and key generation.
3. Investigating and mitigating side-channel vulnerabilities and developing robust synchronization algorithms.
4. Integrating and demonstrating the technology in a real-world gas control system environment.

MANTIS brings together an interdisciplinary consortium that combines expertise from research, industry, and applied technology development.

Funding: 

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the initiative “Secure Use of Quantum Communication in Applications.”

Partners:

Fraunhofer IOF: Project coordinator

Fraunhofer IIS/EAS: Development of FPGA post-processing modules for MDI-QKD.

Fraunhofer FIT: Cybersecurity evaluation and demonstration in gas control systems.

PSI Software SE: Integration of QKD technology into existing control systems.

WWU Münster: Development of photonic integrated circuits for Bell state measurement.

Quantum Optics Jena (associated)

Pixel Photonics  (associated)