Zero Trust in the Quantum Era
Zero Trust is the new standard when it comes to network security.
A Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), like the name suggests, is based on a "never trust, always verify" philosophy that assumes that every user, device, application, and data, is untrusted.
But that is a tough challenge in the quantum era, where trust can be created - or destroyed.

One example is the quantum impact on data encryption. One of the famous applications for quantum computers is its potential to crack public key infrastructure (PKI).
PKI was developed in the 1970's to be impervious to existing computers, but cracking it is a trivial task for future quantum computers.
Fortunately, there are other quantum technologies such as Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) that could replace PKI.

Other examples are quantum technologies that address "a significant single point of failure" for networks - GPS. The GPS signal can be easily spoofed or jammed, manipulating location-based security measures, degrading network performance, and tricking timestamps that are necessary for data integrity (see below).

So a well-designed ZTA needs to "eliminate implicit trust in any one element" and implement multiple timing sources - both externally (signals of opportunities) and internally (quantum/atomic clocks for holdover).

And importantly, there is also a quantum solution:
Using entangled photons to create a source of Trusted Time. That's what we do here at Xairos.

Last Newsletter Theme: ...Looking Forward 2025

• Xairos is proud to announce the award of a Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by SpaceWERX to develop a "Fusion PNT of Quantum and Optical Synchronization of Clock Ensembles," a Direct-to-Phase II contract, in the amount of $1.9M, focused on demonstrating a fusion PNT of quantum and optical synchronization of clock ensembles to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Working with partners Luminous Cyber Corporation and Eritek Inc., the team recently completed Preliminary Design Review (PDR).
• And the new year is off and running with Xairos being selected for a new contract! Details to be announced soon.
• In the meantime, the team is hard at work on our other projects, including:
  • Completed a Quarterly Management Review and quantum time transfer demonstration for our Project Apollo customer.
  • Completed the Preliminary Design Review and site survey at one of the optical ground stations for Project Aristocles. Next step is a Detailed Design Review (DDR) in March.
  • Delivered the first set of transportable optical ground stations to our customer for their final integration for Project Hermes. Details on this program to be announced soon!
• Also we are hard at work on a pair of R&D projects:
  • A project with University of Colorado Quantum Forge students to develop a Bell State test.
  • A portable free-space Quantum Time Transfer demonstration kit so that we can take our entangled photons on the road for customer and conference demonstrations.
• Meetings at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and presentation on a GeoBuiz Summit panel in Denver.
• Planning ahead for two panels and presentations:
  • On a panel at the Miami Space Summit to discuss “Contested Space – What Would a Space Conflict Look Like?”
  • Presenting at the Ground Station Architecture Workshop (GSAW) 2025 on “Optical Ground Stations & Quantum Advancements in Timing and Encryption in Contested and Congested Environments."
• Honored to support the growing quantum ecosystem in Colorado including:
  • Joined Elevate Quantum, the State of Colorado, and three Colorado universities at the ribbon-cutting of a 13,000-square-foot Quantum Incubator in Boulder, Colorado.
  • Joined the Colorado Lieutenant Governor and UK Consul General at the signing of a MOU to deepen economic relations between Colorado and the UK.

• The World Economic Forum released their "Embracing the Quantum Economy" report that predicts the potential economic value for quantum technologies "could reach between $900M and $2T by 2035" but at the risk of creating "a quantum divide."
• A recent quantum study reviewed over 2,300 articles from major publications about "the evolving media narratives around quantum computing and related technologies", found that quantum computers dominated media coverage, with news shifting from the scientific breakthroughs to discussions about the national strategies and global competition.
• China announced plans to "launch an ultra-secure global communications service by 2027" that will include two to three low Earth orbit (LEO) quantum satellites launching in 2025 followed by MEO and GEO quantum satellites and an extensive ground station network that will form "a wide-area quantum communication network."
• Space Capital released their latest space investment report that "predicts both Boeing and Airbus will divest their space divisions in 2025." It also reports about "concerns over China’s space capabilities" that are "driving U.S. initiatives like the adoption of alternative PNT systems offered by commercial firms."
• Notes from the recent National Space Based Position Navigation and Timing Advisory Board meeting:
  • The chief architect of the Global Positioning System (GPS), Brad Parkinson, warned of "threats to the system and calling for a back-up system to prevent an economic catastrophe."
  • Karen Van Dyke of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) reported that “over one month, there were 41,000 Boeing, Airbus and other aircraft that were affected by spoofing.” 
  • Admiral Thad Allen, former commandant of the US Coast Guard, cited "cases where navigation systems on ships at sea were displayed as being inland."
• A side effect of all of this GPS spoofing: the disruption of wildlife tracking, hampering research and conservation efforts.

• Miami Space Summit, February 20 - 21, Miami, Florida - catch us on the Space 2.0 panel where we will discuss "The Impact of AI, Cyber and Data on Space-Based Capabilities”!
• Ground Station Architecture Workshop (GSAW) 2025, February 24 - 27, El Segundo, California - catch our presentation titled “Optical Ground Stations & Quantum Advancements in Timing and Encryption in Contested and Congested Environments”
• AFA Warfare Symposium, March 3 - 5, Aurora, Colorado
• NAVISP Industry Days 2025, March 4 - 5, London, UK - catch our poster presentation!
• Satellite 2025, March 10 - 13, Washington DC
• Space-Comm Expo, March 11 -12, London, UK
• Space Symposium, April 7 - 10, Colorado Springs, Colorado - Stay Tuned!
• Nemertes [NEXT], April 7 - 10, Nashville, TN - presenting!
• Workshop on Synchronization and Timing Systems (WSTS), May 12 - 15, 2025, Savannah, GA
• European Navigation Conference, May 21 - 23, 2025, Wroclaw, Poland
• Joint Navigation Conference (JNC) 2025, June 2 - 5, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Quantum World Congress, September 16 - 18, Tysons, Virginia
• World Space Business Week, September 15 - 19, Paris, France
• International Timing and Sync Forum (ITSF), October 27 - 30, Prague, Czech Republic
• UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase, November 7, London, UK
• UK PNT Leadership Seminar, November, London, UK

New financial regulations, such as MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II) and DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act), were enacted to "increase transparency, better protect investors, [and] reinforce confidence" in the financial markets. A core part of these regulations: trusted time.

These regulations require that all trade timestamps, records, and reporting must be synchronized to a common time reference - UTC - to ensure consistency and prevent disputes over the timing of transactions. The smallest delay or inconsistency in trade timing can lead to substantial market distortions, operational inefficiencies, or regulatory non-compliance.

In a global financial market, where trades may be executed in microseconds and involve multiple jurisdictions, traceable and authenticated timing has become critical to ensure that:

• Financial institutions track, report, and audit trades accurately across different time zones to eliminate market manipulation and mis-pricing.
• All parties involved in a transaction have a common reference point, making it easier to detect errors, inconsistencies, or fraudulent activities.
• A tamper-proof time source is available for dispute resolution and regulatory reporting.
• Regulators can verify the exact order of trades, eliminating false claims of market abuse or unfair practices.

As the financial industry continues to evolve, especially with the rise of high-frequency trading and complex derivatives, adhering to these stringent time synchronization requirements is vital for maintaining trust, transparency, and the overall stability of global financial markets.