Project Q-TRUST6G

Abstract

The security of future 6G networks faces a generational challenge from Harvest Now, Decrypt Later (HNDL) threats, where encrypted traffic captured today may be compromised by future quantum computers. Q-TRUST6G addresses this risk by developing a comprehensive Quantum-Resistant RAN Security framework designed for open and heterogeneous 6G environments. The framework is built upon three technical pillars that form the core of the project’s architecture. First, Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) establishes quantum-resilient identity and authentication anchors, ensuring long-term security for high-layer protocols and device enrollment. Second, Physical-Layer Security (PLS) mechanisms leverage the inherent entropy of the wireless channel for low-latency secret key generation and utilize radio-frequency fingerprinting for hardware-intrinsic device verification. Third, these components are unified through an Adaptive Cross-Layer Trust Orchestration framework, which manages the entire key lifecycle and ensures crypto-agility across the network. The effectiveness of the Q-TRUST6G framework will be validated across two critical use cases, including trust continuity in non-terrestrial networks (NTN) with regenerative low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and trust isolation for specialized industrial campus network slices. Beyond its technical innovations, Q-TRUST6G delivers significant market impact by providing telecom vendors and operators with scalable, quantum-safe solutions that address the urgent protection needs of Industry 4.0 and critical infrastructure. As a CELTIC-NEXT project, it directly strengthens European technological sovereignty and ensures compliance with strategic regulatory frameworks like the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and NIS2, establishing a robust and sovereign security stack for the future global 6G supply chain.