Editing Quantum key distribution (section)

== Future ==
The current commercial systems are aimed mainly at governments and corporations with high security requirements. Key distribution by courier is typically used in such cases, where traditional key distribution schemes are not believed to offer enough guarantee. This has the advantage of not being intrinsically distance limited, and despite long travel times the transfer rate can be high due to the availability of large capacity portable storage devices. The major difference of quantum key distribution is the ability to detect any interception of the key, whereas with courier the key security cannot be proven or tested. QKD (quantum key distribution) systems also have the advantage of being automatic, with greater reliability and lower operating costs than a secure human courier network.

Kak's three-stage protocol has been proposed as a method for secure communication that is entirely quantum unlike quantum key distribution in which the cryptographic transformation uses classical algorithms.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Thapliyal | first1=Kishore | last2=Pathak | first2=Anirban | title=Kak's three-stage protocol of secure quantum communication revisited: hitherto unknown strengths and weaknesses of the protocol | journal=Quantum Information Processing | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=17 | issue=9 | date=2018-07-26 | issn=1570-0755 | doi=10.1007/s11128-018-2001-z | page=229| arxiv=1803.02157 | bibcode=2018QuIP...17..229T | s2cid=52009384 }}</ref>

Factors preventing wide adoption of quantum key distribution outside high security areas include the cost of equipment, and the lack of a demonstrated threat to existing key exchange protocols. However, with optic fibre networks already present in many countries the infrastructure is in place for a more widespread use.

An Industry Specification Group (ISG) of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute ([[ETSI]]) has been set up to address standardisation issues in quantum cryptography.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.etsi.org/technologies-clusters/technologies/quantum-key-distribution |title=ETSI – Quantum Key Distribution |work=etsi.org |year=2014 |access-date=28 July 2014}}</ref>

European Metrology Institutes, in the context of dedicated projects,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://projects.npl.co.uk/MIQC/index.html |title=MIQC – European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) |work=projects.npl.co.uk |year=2014 |access-date=28 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://empir.npl.co.uk/miqc2/ |title=MIQC2 – European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) |work=projects.npl.co.uk |year=2019 |access-date=18 September 2019}}</ref> are developing measurements required to characterise components of QKD systems.

Toshiba Europe has been awarded a prestigious [[Institute of Physics]] Award for Business Innovation. This recognises Toshiba's pioneering QKD<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.global.toshiba/ww/products-solutions/security-ict/qkd.html|title=Quantum Key Distribution|website=Toshiba}}</ref> technology developed over two decades of research, protecting communication infrastructure from present and future cyber-threats, and commercialising UK-manufactured products which pave the road to the quantum internet.

Toshiba also took the Semi Grand Prix award in the Solutions Category for the QKD has won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award in [[CEATEC|CEATEC AWARD]] 2021, the prestigious awards presented at CEATEC, Japan's premier electronics industry trade show.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CEATEC 2021 ONLINE|url=https://www.ceatec.com/en/news/infolist_detail.html?id=258|access-date=2021-11-24|website=CEATEC|language=en|archive-date=24 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124205806/https://www.ceatec.com/en/news/infolist_detail.html?id=258|url-status=dead}}</ref>