Vault Cloud, Quintessence Labs and Ziroh Labs combine tech for world first

ASD certifiedcloudservice providerVault Cloud has integrated Ziroh Labs’ homomorphic encryption technology and QuintessenceLabs’ true quantum random number generator into its offering in an effort funded by AustCyber– the Australian Cyber Security Growth Network.

The three companies matched a $448,000 grant from AustCyber’s $15 million Projects Fund, to connect “commercial quantum solutions with cryptographic applications in a secure cloud”.

The resulting solution allows an ‘always encrypted’ paradigm, with features like secure cloud storage, search and collaboration on encrypted data, the companies said.

QuintessenceLabs’ Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) generates true random numbers – required in huge numbers in secure cryptographic applications – using a phenomenon called quantum tunneling.

The software integration makes this function available to applications as a service over the network. This can be seamlessly integrated into default and standard endpoints with no changes to client software configurations, the group said.

“We’re delighted to bring our quantum cybersecurity capabilities to this unique Australian integration, giving industry and government access to the strongest data protection,” said QuintessenceLabs founder and CEO, Vikram Sharma.

Ziroh Labs’ homomorphic encryption technology allows data to remain encrypted while certain operations are performed on it. The technology was integrated into the identity, secrets management and storage systems of Vault Cloud, marking “another large stride” towards delivering homomorphic encryption to end users.

“In additionhellip;we’ve launched developer friendly products for organisations to easily adopt homomorphic encryption without requiring specialised teams to get the benefit,” saidHrishikesh Dewan, founder and CEO of Ziroh Labs.

The resulting solution combining the various technologies – said to be the world’s first secure and scalable package for enterprise file synchronisation and sharing systems – will be commercially available to government and industry later this year.

“We are excited to be able to integrate cutting-edge Australian research and resulting deep tech advancement into our secure cloud and give access to this enhanced key and secrets management to governments and critical infrastructure providers,” said Rupert Taylor-Price, founder and CEO of Vault Cloud.

The project is one of a number to be funded by AustCyber as part of the three-year ‘Projects Fund’ program which was established at thebeginning of last year. The scheme supports projects that address one or more of the four ‘knowledge priorities’ put forward in AustCyber’sCyber Security Sector Competitiveness Planreleased in2017.

“This is an outstanding example of world leading Australian cyber security research and development being commercialised to our domestic market and demonstrating its importance to export markets,” said Michelle Price, CEO ofAustCyber.

Other successful applicants to the program so far include WithYouWithMe, Fifth Domain, Deception.ai, Cybermerc, a Sydney University-led consortium supported by Australia’s major banks and QuadIQ.

So far a total of $6.5million in funding has been delivered to 10 projects. A second call for projects to be match-funded by AustCyber was made in June, for which $8.5 million in matched funding is available.

“This funding will assist the cyber security industry to upskill and expand the sector, and harness the enormous opportunities available to Australia,” said industry science and technology minister Karen Andrews at the time.