From October 27 to 29, 2026, the National Research Center for Applied Cybersecurity ATHENE participated in it-sa Expo&Congress in Nuremberg, Europe’s largest trade fair for IT security. Selected recent research results were showcased, including work by Johanna Henrich from the User-Centered Security (UCS) research group as part of the ATHENE research project SATURN.

With the ongoing development of powerful quantum computers, quantum-safe cryptographic methods are becoming increasingly important. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) pursue different approaches that can be combined through hybrid key exchange.

An interactive web application made the research results comprehensible. Visitors were able to explore the developed hybrid key exchange protocol step by step and trigger benchmarkings. The initial version of the web service was developed as part of a Master PSE.

UCS team member Sofiia Kurchanova supported both the preparations for the exhibition and the activities throughout the event.

In addition, Johanna Henrich hold several talks at the ATHENE booth entitled “Cryptographic Agility and Hybridization – Working Together for the Cryptography of Tomorrow.” The talks highlighted the importance of adaptable cryptographic systems and the opportunities offered by hybrid approaches for the transition to quantum-safe communication.