The Russian “quantum” phone for ₽30 million was a prototype on Amazon for $200

In Russia introduced a phone with quantum encryption for 30 million rubles, which guarantees absolutely secure communication and protection from third party access. But reporters soon found a very similar device on Amazon for a much more modest cost. The manufacturer however was able to explain the difference.

In late may, the Center for quantum technologies of the MSU and the company “infoteks” tested Russia’s first quantum QSS Phone phone ViPNet, writes TASS. On the development of professionals labored for three years, and its main advantage, as scientists assure, the absolute confidentiality of communication. Hack the phone is impossible, since network traffic between users is encrypted using the quantum key distribution.

The device has two significant disadvantages: the interlocutors can share only 25 kilometers, and cost the miracle of technology (kit of two phones and servers) will be about 30 million rubles.

Meticulous journalists managed to find a similar phone on Amazon and in the online shop of Voip Systems. Comments about this, in particular, appeared under the materials of VC TJ on “habré”. This IP phone is called the Grandstream GXV3275 and on Amazon, for example, costs $ 229 (almost 15 thousand).

However, Russian scientists explained that the main quantum magic, that is, the process of creating the secret keys, is not in the phone, and the server is connected to a pair of devices, says the Agency “Moscow”.

“The phones can be different models and even based on different operating systems. Importantly, they had the required hardware resources and installed ViPNet software QSS Connect.

Quantum keys to encrypt traffic is created not in the phones, and between ViPNet Client and ViPNet QSS QSS Server, connected to the optical line through the switches ViPNet QSS Switch. It is these elements of the system, the hardware and software are expensive and most unique development,” – said the radio station “Moscow speaking” the CEO of the company “infoteks” Andrew Chapchaev.

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