Skip to main content
European Commission logo
Enterprise Europe Network

Horizon Europe R&D proposal – Quantum-resilient peer-to-peer messaging protocol based on dynamic one-time symmetric keys

Summary

Profile Type
  • Research & Development Request
POD Reference
RDRES20250714009
Term of Validity
14 July 2025 - 14 July 2026
Company's Country
  • Spain
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
Targeted Countries
  • All countries
Contact the EEN partner nearest to you for more information.
Find my local partner

General information

Short Summary
A European cryptography research centre is submitting an R&D request to call HORIZON-CL3-2025-02-CS-ECCC-06. The project will raise a P2P messaging protocol with one-time symmetric keys (D2OTP) from TRL-5 to TRL-7, embedding post-quantum security into high-level communication systems. The centre acts as coordinator; additional research bodies, public end-users and IT integrators are sought before 30 Sep 2025.
Full Description
The project. Current communications rely on public-key cryptography vulnerable to future quantum computers. D2OTP removes that dependency by using one-time symmetric keys derived from a pre-shared secret together with post-quantum algorithms, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, mutual authentication and non-repudiation without a PKI infrastructure. The R&D action will harden the protocol, port it to representative P2P and e-mail platforms and validate it in two pilots (civil-society and public-administration), raising TRL from 5 to 7.
The programme. Horizon Europe – Cluster 3 “Civil Security for Society”, single-stage Research and Innovation Action. Topic HORIZON-CL3-2025-02-CS-ECCC-06: Integration of PQC algorithms into high-level protocols. Indicative funding per project: € 2–3 million.
The consortium. Confirmed: research centre (Madrid) for design, implementation and management. Needed:
• Research organisation with expertise in symmetric-key cryptanalysis and formal verification;
• Public authority or critical-infrastructure operator to host pilots and provide operational requirements;
• IT integrator to adapt D2OTP to legacy platforms and lead exploitation.
Timeline. Call deadline: 25 Nov 2025, 17:00 CET. Expression-of-interest deadline: 30 Sep 2025. Planned duration: 36 months (156 weeks).
Advantages and Innovations
• No public-key layer → immune to Shor-type attacks.
• Every message encrypted with a never-reused key → information-theoretic confidentiality.
• Instant start-up, no certificate handshake → lower latency.
• Pure-software solution; no QKD hardware, reducing cost and complexity.
• Crypto-agnostic core allows easy swap-in of NIST-standardised PQC primitives.
• Independent of the underlying infrastructure linking the communicating applications.
• Deployable as an overlay on the existing operational protocol, with no replacement required, strengthening the security already in place.
Technical Specification or Expertise Sought
Symmetric-protocol cryptanalysis, formal verification, large-scale secure-messaging deployments, standardisation (IETF/ETSI) and integration of security modules into governmental IT systems.
Stage of Development
  • Under development
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Goal 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
IPR status
  • IPR granted
IPR notes
Patent granted in Spain; advanced prosecution in Europe, USA and Mexico

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
• Research partner – lead independent cryptanalysis, formal proofs and standardisation drafts.
• Public authority / critical-infrastructure operator – host pilots, define operational constraints, validate usability and compliance (GDPR, NIS2, ENS).
• IT integrator – port D2OTP to e-mail, messaging or telephony; manage scalability tests and exploitation roadmap.
All partners will co-author deliverables under a research cooperation agreement.
Type and Size of Partner
  • SME 11-49
  • R&D Institution
  • Other
  • SME 50 - 249
  • University
  • Big company
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement

Call details

Framework program
  • Horizon Europe
Call title and identifier
HORIZON-CL3-2025-02-CS-ECCC-06
Submission and evaluation scheme
Single-stage RIA
Anticipated project budget
3000000
Coordinator required
No
Deadline for EoI
Deadline of the call
Project duration in weeks
156
Web link to the call
https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/horizon-cl3-2025-02-cs-eccc-06
Project title and acronym
Quantum-Resilient P2P Messaging via Dynamic One-Time Keys (QR-P2P)

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 01003006 - Computer Software
  • 01004010 - Quality Management System
  • 01003014 - Internet Technologies/Communication (Wireless, Bluetooth)
Market keywords
  • 02007023 - Web semantics
  • 01004002 - Data communication components
Sector Groups Involved
  • Aerospace and Defence
  • Mobility - Transport - Automotive
  • Digital
Targeted countries
  • All countries