en.Wedoany.com Reported - Researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have successfully developed two field-deployable quantum light sources as part of a project with the Defence Science and Technology Group, aimed at ensuring the security of time signals when Global Positioning System (GPS) and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are disrupted. The quantum devices generate entangled photons to enable time transfer from the ground to satellites. Unlike conventional signals, these quantum-enhanced signals are highly sensitive to interference, capable of not only detecting signal jamming but also identifying more complex spoofing attacks that send false information. CSIRO Technology Lead Matt Broome stated that this work marks a significant advancement for Australia in the field of quantum-secure time transfer.
Precise time signals not only underpin defense operations but also form the operational foundation for critical civilian infrastructure such as power grids, finance, transportation, and emergency services. Currently, GNSS signals are increasingly threatened by jamming and spoofing techniques, making signal resilience a global focus. The devices developed by CSIRO are not theoretical prototypes but practical units designed to maintain secure timing when conventional GNSS signals are compromised. Their core technology involves generating entangled photons for ground-to-satellite time transfer, thereby introducing a unique layer of security. If a signal is intercepted or tampered with, the quantum state changes immediately, allowing the system to detect the interference instantly, and users can seamlessly switch to a backup channel to mitigate the impact of the attack.
According to CSIRO, the team initially collaborated with Heriot-Watt University to transform a laboratory design into a field-deployable system capable of maintaining quantum correlations over long distances. The increasing vulnerability of GNSS is accelerating investment in quantum technologies for timing signal resilience. Reliance on satellite constellations like GPS creates a single point of failure risk, which can be exploited by both accidental interference and deliberate attacks. Jamming signals and spoofing techniques that send false signals are no longer theoretical risks, with reports indicating GNSS disruptions globally, including during wartime. Entangled photon technology fundamentally adopts a different approach to signal security, rather than relying solely on encryption. Quantum entanglement allows paired, distant photons to remain connected, with one staying on Earth and the other being sent to an orbiting satellite hundreds of kilometers away. CSIRO states that this entanglement distribution process provides a link that can continuously verify signal integrity.
