PriVerify solves both secure time sync and Quantum Entropy Delivery with its proprietary, purpose-built ‘secfd’ client application which speaks our EDP (Entropy Distribution Protocol) with our diverse backend locations and servers.
Internet security technologies rely on a crucial interdependent relationship between security mechanisms and time synchronization.
For example, certificates, a key component of security solutions, are used to determine that numerous types of resources are identified securely and correctly. These solutions rely on accurate time of day to establish the validity of certificates.
There is a stereotypical “chicken and egg” problem where accurate time is needed to establish the security mechanism (the certificate). In turn, you need the security mechanism (the certificate) to be valid in order to establish that the information exchanged for time synchronization purposes has not been corrupted. As more security mechanisms are being deployed, we are increasingly relying on certificates and, in turn, secure time.
At each of our backend facilities, we have an “ensemble” of clocks/oscillators with multiple diverse and resilient disciplining references, each traceable to UTC. We use “atomic clocks” similar to those in the GPS constellation of satellites. We also track every available GNNS satellite (this includes GPS (US Govt), Galileo (European Union Govt), GLONASS (Russian Govt)) simultaneously which is currently visible at that location to monitor the time transmitting from each of their atomic clocks.
Special hardware and software protects against attacks on the frequencies used by the various satellites as our own on-site primary reference clocks have “holdover” precision accurate enough to keep time highly accurate to UTC without GNNS satellites for a long period.