Do you see the small padlock next to the address of the website you are looking at? This symbol indicates that the connection between your device (such as your computer or smartphone) and the site you are visiting is secure. And at OVHcloud, we have just reinforced this security by integrating an innovative technology – a Quantum Random Number Generator – for the first time in the world.
But what does this security really mean? Let’s talk it through.
What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate enables the encryption of the data exchanged between a website and its visitors. This means that your personal information (such as your passwords, contact details, or payment details) is converted into a code that cannot be read or modified by anyone trying to intercept it.
A secure website will display “https” at the beginning of the address, along with the famous padlock icon. Without an SSL certificate, the data that passes through is exposed, as if you were sending a postcard instead of a letter in a sealed envelope.
All OVHcloud Web Hosting plans automatically include an unlimited number of SSL certificates, via our partner Let’s Encrypt, at no additional cost. No complex configurations are required – this security is enabled by default for all of our customers.
And now, we are going even further to strengthen that protection.
A new security layer: QRNG
We are changing the public keys used in our SSL certificates to make them even more resistant to threats. To do this, we are integrating a more advanced encryption technology into the solution: a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG).
Why is this important?
The reliability of an SSL certificate depends largely on the encryption keys it uses, which are generated from random numbers. The more unpredictable these values are, the more difficult it becomes for a malicious person to guess them.
Conventional computers generate these numbers using Cryptographically-Secure Pseudorandom Number Generators (CSPRNG), meaning that although they are statistically indistinguishable from random numbers, they are not entirely random. It is theoretically possible that their partially predictable nature could weaken the level of security.
That’s where the QRNG comes in. This technology relies on the laws of quantum physics to produce real, random numbers that are completely unpredictable. In scientific terms, this is referred to as “entropy”. This adds an extra level of complexity for anyone trying to decrypt the data. The result is stronger encryption, based on a source of randomness that cannot be predicted, even by the most powerful machines.
This breakthrough, the first of its kind in the world, was made possible by our research and development work, as well as our collaboration with the French quantum computing startup Quandela. We use the quantum computer we acquired from Quandela to ensure a certified random number generation. What’s more, the entire SSL certificate generation process has been patented, ensuring that our approach is traceable and reliable.
“Our partnership with OVHcloud represents a breakthrough in cybersecurity. By positioning itself as a pioneer and acquiring our full-stack quantum computer to deploy in its datacentre, OVHcloud can now issue certified quantum random number generation SSL certificates for all customers. This security is based on the laws of physics, not on mathematical complexity alone. It’s quantum computing that now offers real-world security solutions.”
Shane Mansfield, Research Director at Quandela
What does this mean for your websites?
- Stronger encryption: with stronger, truly random security keys, your websites are better protected against current and future threats.
- Innovation for all: this cutting-edge technology, previously only reserved for research or highly secure environments, is now included in all our web hosting plans, at no extra cost.
Deployment is already in progress, and by the end of October 2025, 100% of our Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates will embed public keys generated using this new technology. More than 5 million websites will benefit from this enhanced security.
“After a year of R&D, we are taking an important step forward for the web with the generation of millions of SSL certificates that integrate quantum technology. This breakthrough paves the way for future innovations in quantum cybersecurity.”
Guillaume Marchand, IT Team Leader at OVHcloud
Summary
Online security has a technological foundation that must not only keep pace with evolving threats, but anticipate them. By including a certified quantum chance source called QRNG in the process of generating our SSL certificates – a world first – OVHcloud is taking a new step in data protection on the web.
This innovation strengthens the reliability of the encryption applied to secure exchanges between websites and their visitors. Thanks to quantum physics, the security keys become truly unpredictable, even against the most sophisticated attacks.
Innovating to better protect, anticipating to better serve: this is also part of our commitment to a trusted cloud.
