Colt and Ciena Achieve Record Quantum-Safe Data Transmission
Severity: Medium (Score: 51.9)
Sources: Morningstar, cts.businesswire.com, Capacityglobal
Published: · Updated:
Keywords: ciena, colt, data, quantum-safe, transmission, york, benchmark
Summary
Colt Technology Services and Ciena have successfully completed a quantum-safe data transmission trial between New York and London, achieving an unprecedented 800Gb Ethernet service rate over a distance of 6900km. This trial utilized Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme encryption solution, demonstrating that high-speed data can be securely transmitted while protecting against potential quantum threats. The urgency of this trial stems from the risk of 'harvest now, decrypt later' attacks, where adversaries store intercepted data for future decryption as quantum computing capabilities advance, potentially as soon as 2030. Research indicates that 69% of organizations recognize quantum computing as a significant risk to current encryption methods. The trial is part of a series of quantum-safe milestones by Colt and Ciena, showcasing their commitment to enhancing data security in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. The results indicate readiness for quantum-safe services across various sectors, including finance and healthcare. Key Points: • Colt and Ciena achieved 800GbE quantum-safe data transmission over 6900km. • The trial addresses the risk of 'harvest now, decrypt later' attacks from quantum computing. • 69% of organizations view quantum computing as a serious threat to encryption methods.
Detailed Analysis
**Impact** Enterprises, hyperscalers, neoscalers, financial institutions, healthcare providers, government, and defense organizations operating across transatlantic routes, specifically between New York and London, are affected. Data-centre scale volumes transmitted over 6,900 km of subsea and terrestrial infrastructure are at risk of interception and future decryption by quantum-enabled adversaries. Approximately 69% of organizations recognize quantum computing as a threat to current encryption, with 46% fearing significant data compromise by 2030. The operational consequence is the potential exposure of sensitive data to "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks. **Technical Details** The threat involves interception of encrypted data in transit, targeting the cryptographic layer before quantum computing renders current encryption obsolete. The trial used Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) encryption solution implementing post-quantum cryptography (PQC) based on ML-KEM, a module-lattice-based key encapsulation mechanism formally standardized by NIST as FIPS 203. No specific malware, CVEs, or attack infrastructure details were provided. The attack vector is data interception during transmission, corresponding to the reconnaissance and collection stages of the kill chain. **Recommended Response** Organizations should prioritize deploying quantum-safe encryption solutions compliant with NIST standards, such as PQC algorithms like ML-KEM, especially for long-haul and subsea network traffic. Monitoring for unauthorized data interception attempts and upgrading existing 100GbE or 400GbE systems to support higher quantum-safe throughput (e.g., 800GbE) is advised. Defenders should prepare for hybrid cryptographic models combining PQC, quantum key distribution, and symmetric key infrastructure. No specific IOCs or patches were identified; focus should remain on securing network encryption and validating vendor quantum-safe certifications.
Source articles (3)
- Colt and Ciena Set New Benchmark With Fastest Ever Quantum — Morningstar · 2026-06-10
Colt and Ciena Set New Benchmark With Fastest Ever Quantum-Safe Transatlantic Data Transmission New York-London trial demonstrates how ultra-high-speed data can remain protected from quantum threats a… - Colt and Ciena break quantum-safe transmission record on New York — Capacityglobal · 2026-06-10
The two companies say they successfully protected live data running between New York and London at an 800 gigabit Ethernet service rate using Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme encryption solution. The signi… - WaveLogic 6 Extreme — cts.businesswire.com · 2026-06-10
Timeline
- 2026-06-10 — Colt and Ciena complete quantum-safe transmission trial: The trial demonstrated secure data transmission at 800GbE between New York and London, utilizing Ciena's WaveLogic 6 Extreme encryption.
- 2026-06-10 — Research highlights quantum computing risks: 69% of organizations believe quantum computing poses a real risk to encryption, with 46% fearing data compromise as early as 2030.
Related entities
- businesswire.com (Domain)
- ciena.com (Domain)
- colt.net (Domain)
- [email protected] (Email)
- [email protected] (Email)
- Financial (Industry)
- Government (Industry)
- Healthcare (Industry)
- WaveLogic 6 Extreme (Platform)