Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) recently took part in ‘Protect Your Business, Embrace the Future: Cyber Security & AI’, an event hosted by Unitec IT Solutions at the SETU Arena.
The event brought together businesses and technology experts to explore practical approaches to reducing cyber risks, preparing for NIS2 compliance, and adopting artificial intelligence in a safe and responsible way.
Looking ahead to the post-quantum era
The event also provided an opportunity to introduce participants to the work of Q-FENCE, a Horizon Europe project coordinated by Walton Institute that is developing solutions to help organisations prepare for the emerging challenges of post-quantum cybersecurity.
Representing Q-FENCE, Dr Ilias Cherkaoui spoke with participants about the project and its work to strengthen cybersecurity and help organisations navigate an evolving cyber threat landscape. His participation brought the post-quantum perspective into discussions around the long-term security of digital systems and the need for organisations to anticipate emerging technological risks.
As quantum computing continues to advance, current cryptographic systems may eventually become vulnerable to quantum attacks. Q-FENCE is developing innovative approaches to support organisations in this transition, combining post-quantum cryptography, quantum random number generation and privacy-preserving technologies across a range of real-world application areas.
The event provided a valuable setting for connecting ongoing European cybersecurity research with the practical challenges faced by organisations today, while highlighting the importance of preparing for the security requirements of the post-quantum era.