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<Both ICTK Holdings' PUF chip and IDQ's QRNG chip embedded in quantum security USB token Source: ICTK Holdings>

An original Korean security company will join hands with a European quantum security company and combine key security technologies between the two companies to enter the global network equipment, Internet of Things (IoT), and smartphone security markets together.

ICTK Holdings (CEO Jungwon Lee), a security company, announced on the 17th that they have recently succeeded in developing a 'Quantum Security USB Token' equipped with a quantum security solution with IDQ, a Swiss quantum security company.

'Quantum Security USB Token' is embedded with ICTK Holdings' 'Physical Unclonable Function(PUF) Chip' and IDQ's 'Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG) Chip' at the same time.

An ICTK Holdings official said, "The 'authentication function', which has been pointed out as a disadvantage of the existing QRNG chip, has been greatly strengthened through the quantum security USB token and module, which is now embedded with IDQ's QRNG chip and our own PUF chip.

QRNG with strong randomness has relatively weak characteristic(authentication). On the other hand, the semiconductor fingerprint (Inborn ID) of the PUF chip is evaluated to have the advantage of supporting a strong authentication function in QRNG.

In response, Swiss IDQ paid attention to the PUF chip of ICTK Holdings as a technology to compensate for the shortcomings of the QRNG chip, and ICTK obtained an alliance force for the global expansion of the PUF chip while both companies understand the strategic partnership that they both can profit.

The two companies will jointly promote the project to install quantum security chip on smart grid network equipment in the domestic public sector. In particular, they are rushing with the so-called 'one-chip' strategy, which implements a single chip by combining each company's chips. When the two chips are integrated into one, from the point of view of the company using the chip, it is possible to obtain the effect of enhancing security, miniaturizing the chip, and reducing the manufacturing cost.

IDQ, which was officially incorporated as SK Telecom's quantum security subsidiary in 2018, launched the world's first 5G smartphone 'Galaxy A Quantum' in Korea with a QRNG chipset in cooperation with Samsung Electronics in May last year.

IDQ, the world's No. 1 company in quantum security, holds a number of global patents for quantum key distribution (QKD) technology. SK Telecom has recently completed the development of 'Quantum Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology' by applying IDQ's encryption technology to corporate network equipment such as routers and switches.

Jungwon Lee, CEO of ICTK Holdings, said, “The global number one company in both fields, PUF and quantum,finallyjoined to create a new game in the security market.We will provide the safest and most complete security solution to the global IoT market, including 5G-based network equipment.

IDQ CEO Axel Foery said, “We are proud of our partnership with ICTK.The joint quantum security solution of the two companies will present an innovative alternative to the global security market.”

By Staff Reporter Soomin Ahn (smahn@etnews.com)