WISeKey and SEALSQ Develop AI based Quantum Solutions Demonstrator for Post-Quantum Cryptography

The development of this demonstrator marks a significant milestone for the QUASARS project and brings it one step closer towards the goal of building a Post-Quantum Hardware Security Module and Root-of-Trust

Video showing the demonstrator:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-qHdBw2bR4

Geneva – June 16, 2023 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, AI, Blockchain, and semiconductors company, today announced that its subsidiary SEALSQ Corp.  (NASDAQ: LAES) (“SEALSQ”) has developed using AI Quantum solutions, a demonstrator unit running two NIST selected Post-Quantum Algorithms, a significant milestone for the development of the QUASARS project.

The SEALSQ Post-Quantum engineering team has been able to carry both Kyber and Dilithium CRYSTAL quantum-resistant NIST selected algorithms and the appropriate APIs on the MS6003, a WISeKey Common Criteria EAL5+ Certified secure hardware platform powered by an ARMSC300 core and featuring an USB interface, thus creating the first Quantum-Resistant USB Token demonstrator. The development of this demonstrator marks a significant milestone for the QUASARS project and brings it one step closer towards the goal of building a Post-Quantum Hardware Security Module and Root-of-Trust.

The advent of quantum computers poses a significant challenge to conventional cryptographic methods, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). As quantum computers continue to advance in power, these methods become vulnerable to quantum attacks, jeopardizing the security of sensitive information. WISeKey's post-quantum solutions, collectively known as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), aim to address this threat by developing cryptographic methods that are resistant to attacks from quantum computers.

WISeKey is developing a new range of Trust Services, that will take advantage of the latest developments in post-quantum encryption (PQE) to be applied in real-world applications of digital signatures and encryption using PKI and digital certificates, such as secure communication channels (TLS), enhanced Key Exchanges and email security (S/MIME). These services are currently based on standards that can be improved to be resilient to quantum attacks and offer backwards compatibility with existing counterparts. WISeKey implementation of PQE is done around the concept of “hybrid signatures” which combine in a single X.509 certificate a conventional signature with a second signature using a PQE algorithm. This approach ensures backwards compatibility and opens a new horizon of cybersecurity services.

WISeKey's AI Quantum solutions mark a significant milestone in the ongoing battle to protect sensitive information from quantum attacks. By combining the power of quantum mechanics and the expertise of our multidisciplinary team, we are confident that these innovations will shape the future of cryptography and cybersecurity. The significance of the semiconductor industry is increasingly profound, not only from a technological standpoint but also strategical one. With the rapidly advancing domain of artificial intelligence (AI), the dependence on sophisticated, high-performance computer chips is growing ever more critical. As AI continues to evolve and innovate, creating transformative tools and applications, it has started to become a central pillar for the modern economy, business operations, and an array of career paths. Its potential to monetize, particularly in the realm of generative AI, is attracting considerable attention and investment.

AI may appear as if it has taken center stage somewhat abruptly, yet it stands on the shoulders of technologies that have been maturing for decades – the internet, IoT, smartphones, and potent computer chips. Early iterations of AI were primarily centered around automating or expediting tasks, such as chatbots for customer service, automated translation, or enhancing search engine algorithms. These applications served as the bedrock for more advanced AI technologies, driving efficiency and productivity in multiple sectors.

In the realm of autonomous systems, generative AI could drive significant advances. For instance, it can enable cars or robots to make automated decisions, improving safety and efficiency. From self-driving vehicles navigating complex urban environments to industrial robots performing precision tasks, the applications are extensive and game-changing.

For SEALSQ, the intersection of the semiconductor industry and AI signals a crucial inflection point in the digital transformation of our society. The possibilities that lie ahead for generative AI are vast, promising a future where technology further enhances human ingenuity, innovation, and productivity.

About SEALSQ

SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES) is a subsidiary of the WISeKey Group that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products. Our Post-Quantum solutions include Post-Quantum microchips and devices that can be used in a variety of applications, from Multi-Factor Authentication devices, Home Automation, and IT Network Infrastructure, to Automotive, Industrial Automation and Control Systems. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to cryptographic methods that are secure against an attack by a quantum computer. As quantum computers become more powerful, they may be able to break many of the cryptographic methods that are currently used to protect sensitive information, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). PQC aims to develop new cryptographic methods that are secure against quantum attacks. For more information, visit www.sealsq.com.

About WISeKey

WISeKey (NASDAQ: WKEY; SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems for people and objects using Blockchain, AI and IoT respecting the Human as the Fulcrum of the Internet. WISeKey microprocessors secure the pervasive computing shaping today’s Internet of Everything. WISeKey IoT has an install base of over 1.5 billion microchips in virtually all IoT sectors (connected cars, smart cities, drones, agricultural sensors, anti-counterfeiting, smart lighting, servers, computers, mobile phones, crypto tokens etc.).  WISeKey is uniquely positioned to be at the edge of IoT as our semiconductors produce a huge amount of Big Data that, when analyzed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), can help industrial applications to predict the failure of their equipment before it happens.

Our technology is Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey’s Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust (“RoT”) provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com.

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