The rise of quantum computing presents a profound challenge to current global encryption standards, threatening the long-term security of all digital data. In a proactive response, Thales celebrates the CES 2026 innovation award granted to Samsung Electronics’ System LSI Business for its new S3SSE2A security chip, which integrates Thales’ secure operating system and quantum-resistant cryptographic libraries. This collaboration delivers a critical breakthrough in defending connected devices against both contemporary cyberattacks and the future threat of quantum decryption.
The core of this advancement is the synergy between Samsung’s hardware and Thales’ security software. Thales’ hardened OS enables the chip to provide hardware-based, quantum-resistant protection from the very moment a device powers on. This ensures that encrypted data and sensitive credentials remain secure against both classical and advanced quantum attacks, preserving integrity and long-term trust.
The quantum threat is not distant. Adversaries can already execute “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks, stealing encrypted data today to decrypt it once quantum computers become capable. Thales’ post-quantum cryptography (PQC) libraries empower the Samsung chip to perform this next-generation cryptography at high speed with minimal power and memory use. The solution guarantees quantum-resistant encryption and authentication, high-performance operations on a small footprint, and defense against these harvesting attacks.
“We are very proud to partner with Samsung System LSI on this pioneering achievement,” said Eva Rudin, Vice President of Mobile Connectivity Solutions at Thales. “The S3SSE2A chip is a game-changer, offering robust, future-proof security in an energy-efficient design. This confirms post-quantum security is essential for all connected devices.”
Hwa Yeal Yu, vice president at Samsung Electronics, added: “Samsung and Thales have built a long-standing collaboration. We are pleased to introduce the industry’s first PQC total solution, developed jointly from the outset to integrate hardware and software for exceptional security.”
This award-winning chip sets a new industry benchmark, proving that robust, quantum-ready protection is now viable for everything from consumer electronics to vast IoT ecosystems, safeguarding the connected world of tomorrow.
