AZoQuantum talks to Anurag Lal, CEO and President of NetSfere, about their quantum-resistant communication platform that meets strict compliance and performance standards
Could you provide an overview of what sets NetSfere’s new platform apart as the world’s first enterprise-ready, quantum-proof secure communication solution?
NetSfere integrated the most advanced NIST-recommended ML-KEM encryption into its enterprise communication platform. This ensures all communications, data, files, etc. are completely secure against the quantum threats we’re facing today. Netsfere has a crypto-agile design which allows for us to seamlessly upgrade to future cryptographic standards as they evolve.
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Your platform leverages quantum-resistant algorithms compliant with NIST standards. Can you elaborate on the specific cryptographic technologies implemented and why they were chosen?
NetSfere employs ML-KEM FIPS 203 ML-KEM encryption. It is designed to withstand the capabilities of quantum computers, particularly those that could break conventional public-key cryptographic systems such as RSA and ECC. There are plenty of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms available worldwide for enterprises to choose from, but this specific one meets the latest U.S. federal agency requirements as well as international security standards, so our worldwide users can be at ease knowing they are protected with the gold standard of security.
Given the unpredictable timeline for quantum computing breakthroughs, how do you evaluate the urgency for enterprises to adopt quantum-safe communication measures today?
We don’t have the luxury of taking a wait-and-see approach. We need to act now. When it comes to quantum computing, the timeline isn’t just unpredictable, it’s accelerating. That’s something we all need to recognize. For years, quantum computing felt like a far-off concept, something we had time to prepare for. But that perception is shifting fast. Bad actors are harvesting encrypted data now in anticipation of decrypting it later with quantum technology. These “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks are a quiet but very present danger.
How does the integration of post-quantum cryptography impact the performance, latency, or user experience compared to traditional encrypted platforms?
We were very intentional about ensuring that the added security didn’t come at the expense of user experience. We were diligent in the integration process and optimized everything to minimize any impact on latency. For the user, this means the experience stays smooth, responsive, and just as fast as they expect from any modern messaging platform. Our users don’t even notice the shift in encryption strength. That’s how it should be. The encryption is working hard behind the scenes, and the experience remains intuitive and effortless up front.
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Can you speak to the challenges your team faced in developing and deploying a platform that balances compliance, usability, and cutting-edge cryptographic resilience?
Compliance isn’t just a box we check, it’s foundational, especially for the industries we serve like healthcare, finance, legal. These sectors operate under incredibly strict regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and now emerging standards around AI and data sovereignty. Integrating PQC introduced another level of complexity. These algorithms are powerful, and they require new key management strategies, new protocols, and above all, they need to run efficiently without degrading performance. Our engineers had to rethink and rearchitect parts of the stack to achieve that balance. We took our time to make sure compatibility, usability, security and compliance remained intact and at optimal performance levels.
Beyond end-to-end encryption, what additional security or privacy features does NetSfere’s platform incorporate to support zero-trust architectures in enterprise environments?
End-to-end encryption is just the baseline for NetSfere. The communication platform also puts users at ease with additional security features such as full IT administrative control, strict multi-factor authentication and perhaps most critically, we never collect user data or integrate open-source AI. We can’t even access your data - only you can.
How do you envision this platform evolving as quantum computing capabilities mature? Are there mechanisms in place to ensure ongoing cryptographic agility?
This is where crypto agility becomes essential. We've built NetSfere to be a top-tier crypto-agile platform, meaning we can rapidly integrate new algorithms as standards and security threats evolve. Our goal is not to just stay current, it’s to stay ahead of the threat. Our PQC integration is just the beginning. We’re continually testing and validating next-gen protocols to ensure we’re ready for whatever comes next.
What industries or use cases do you believe will be the earliest adopters of quantum-proof communication, and how is NetSfere engaging with those sectors?
The earliest adopters of PQC will be, and already are, within the government, finance, healthcare and legal sectors. These industries are responsible for mass amounts of highly sensitive data with long-term value. They’re the most at risk right now for the “hack now, decrypt later” attacks. A large majority of NetSfere users operate within these sectors and rely on our world-class enterprise security and compliance. Every day we’re evaluating looming threats, strengthening the weakest link in a security system and working with our subscribers to ensure they are equipped with the right tools to protect their organization.
About the Speaker
Anurag Lal is the President and CEO of NetSfere. With more than 25 years of experience in technology, cybersecurity, ransomware, broadband and mobile security services, Anurag leads a team of talented innovators who are creating secure and trusted enterprise-grade workplace communication technology to equip the enterprise with world-class secure communication solutions. Lal is an expert on global cybersecurity innovations, policies, and risks.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited (T/A) AZoNetwork, the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and Conditions of use of this website.