Light Noise Can Be A True Communication Friend, Says NuCrypt

There can be no doubt that ultra-secure data transmission is a critical component in military communications. However, for such to be successfully deployed, the technology must be available at reasonable cost and convenience. That is the core innovation of NuCrypt. The company has a strong heritage in optical communication systems and has received funding from the Department of Defense. In addition, the Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Northwestern University (HSIEC) recently awarded NuCrypt a challenge grant. NuCrypt has four SBIR grants that have reached phase two.




At MILCOM 2007, NuCrypt is going to demo this technology for ultrahigh security over optical communication networks. NuCrypt uses the inherent noise in light to enhance the best state-of-the-art encryption technology while remaining compatible with conventional optical infrastructure. Its product, AlphaEta, interfaces between the transmitter or receiver and the optical channel and makes the transmitted message difficult to eavesdrop on by adding optical noise to the encryption process. AlphaEta uses commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) components and is compatible with traditional optical infrastructure. It operates at high data rates, making it the first practical, physics-based ultrahigh security optical encryption technology on the market.




Since AlphaEta is built on standard optical communications, it is compatible with current long haul infrastructure. Users can deploy it without investing in additional equipment or leasing new lines. AlphaEta can be deployed over both fiber-optic (wireline) and free-space (wireless) optical networks. Because the system works with a variety of platforms, security among all communication links is assured—Evanston, Illinois