Overview
As quantum networks move to operational infrastructure, the limitations of point-to-point QKD become increasingly clear. Moreover, real-world deployments reveal a persistent challenge, concerns about detector vulnerabilities. These measurement devices, the most complex QKD component, can be exploited by side-channel attacks such as blinding and time-shift attacks. The question is simple: how do we remove detectors entirely from the trust boundary?! To deliver truly secure, scalable and future-ready networks, a new approach is needed.
This webinar takes a deep dive into Measurement-Device-Independent Quantum Key Distribution (MDI QKD), the breakthrough protocol at the core of Q*Bird’s Falqon® Series. In this session, we explain why MDI QKD was developed, how it works, and why it is uniquely positioned to support quantum communication networks.
The session outlines the architectural advantages and real-world Q*Bird deployments, highlighting how MDI QKD is already operating in data centre environments, as well as metropolitan and multi-user networks. The webinar offers a forward-looking view of how MDI QKD forms a deployable building block for Europe’s emerging quantum communication landscape and future quantum internet frameworks.
Whether you are building quantum-secure infrastructure, designing next-generation network architectures, or simply want a deeper understanding of how MDI QKD works, this webinar offers a comprehensive and technical foundation.
Speaker
Dr. Joshua Slater, CTO, Q*Bird
Key Takeaways
- Why detector side-channel attacks are the dominant practical threat in traditional QKD.
- A step-by-step walkthrough of the MDI QKD protocol.
- How MDI QKD supports scalable network architectures such as star and mesh topologies with shared measurement hubs.
- How MDI QKD connects to broader quantum networking concepts like entanglement swapping, quantum repeaters and future quantum internet nodes.
- Insights into current Q*Bird devices, field deployments and operational considerations such as synchronisation, indistinguishability and channel asymmetry.
- How MDI QKD positions organisations for long-term resilience as quantum technologies advance.
- How to assess your organisation’s readiness for quantum-secure communication.
Learning Outcomes
After attending this webinar, you will be able to:
- Describe how measurement-device independence is secure, for real-world QKD.
- Explain the technical steps behind the MDI QKD protocol.
- Understand how Bell-state measurements enable secure key generation even when the measurement device is untrusted.
- Identify the architectural and economic advantages of hub-based, multi-node MDI QKD networks.
- Recognise how MDI QKD serves as a functional precursor to quantum repeaters and future quantum internet infrastructures.
- Assess practical considerations for deploying MDI QKD in operational environments.
- Evaluate how Q*Bird’s MDI QKD Falqon® Series provides a scalable and interoperable foundation for quantum-secure communication today and in the future.