Telecom Italia’s Sparkle to Protect Network From Quantum Attacks

Telecom Italia Sparkle SpA plans to roll out software across its network this year to protect data from the looming security threat presented by quantum computers — a still-nascent technology that could revolutionize online attacks.

For two weeks now, Telecom Italia SpA’s undersea cable unit has been transmitting quantum-safe data through a 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) stretch of fiber between a data center in Catania, on the Italian island of Sicily, and a major gateway in Frankfurt. It’s the first instance of this level of protection on an active network, Sparkle executives told Bloomberg in an interview on Tuesday. Now the carrier looks to expand the approach to the rest of its infrastructure.