It is now possible to build a global communications infrastructure capable of ensuring 100 year security ratings with high assurance for billions of users.

Synaptic Labs' Universal Key Exchange offer up to 100 year secure key-exchange technology targeted for communications between potentially billions of hardware security modules (HSM) within the context of a global secure communications framework. The Universal Key Exchange is intended to provide a viable alternative to the mainstream key exchange technologies used to secure the Internet today. It is anticipated that the majority of HSM enrolled into systems will be smart cards for users, and network attached HSM for server applications. The Synaptic Universal Key Exchange can support ambient intelligence devices, mobile phones, and any device that is adapted to use a SIM, smart card or hardware security module chip.

The Universal Key Exchange is based on the concept of managed key exchange servers. Managed key exchange servers are used for the initial key exchange between two smart cards as illustrated in label 1 above. Ongoing key exchanges are performed directly between the two smart cards as illustrated in label 2 above.  The Universal Key Exchange is readily extended using the Enterprise Key Exchange which enables individual groups to provide their own assurances as to the security of each key exchange operation within their domain of control.

The Universal Key Exchange technology can be used to bolster the strength of QKD systems by extending the reach of the QKD post quantum secure communication to all computers connected to the QKD system. The Universal Key Exchange technology provides a framework for enabling large scale international QKD networks by managing single point of trust failure which might be vulnerable to insider attacks. Synaptic Labs' Universal Key Exchange servers can be adapted to run on QKD network routers.

Further Information

Additional information is available via the menu bar on the right of the screen under the Universal Key Exchange menu item.

The Universal Key Exchange was presented by Synaptic Labs at the IEEE Key Management Summit 2010.  The presentation titled: "Synaptic Labs' global-scale Identity Management and Cryptographic Key Management Proposal" can be watched as streaming video here.

The Universal Key Exchange has been described in a short 4 page peer reviewed technical abstract presented at the U.S. Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Cyber Security and Information Intelligence Research Workshop. A longer and more detailed version of that paper has been published on ePrint.

Synaptic Laboratories and the Gozo Business Chamber (EU) have co-founded the ICT Gozo Malta cluster of excellence. This cluster of excellence will work in close collaboration with key Government and private stakeholders and leading International companies to develop many of Synaptic Labs' innovative technologies. The Universal Key Exchange proposal will be implemented as part of the ICT Gozo Malta Global-scale Cyber Security project and Exoskeleton extensions. The relationships between projects is visually illustrated here.