Adfinis & Crypto4A launch quantum-safe secrets tool

Adfinis and Crypto4A have partnered to combine Secretz Enterprise with the QxVault platform, targeting organisations in regulated and security-sensitive sectors.

The joint offering combines Adfinis's OpenBao-based secrets management product with Crypto4A's hardware security module architecture. It is aimed at customers seeking tighter control over sensitive data in government, defence, finance, healthcare, utilities, telecommunications and technology.

Secrets management tools store and control access to credentials, encryption keys, API keys and other sensitive digital assets. Demand for these systems has risen as organisations face tighter compliance requirements and try to limit exposure to cyber attacks across on-premises and cloud environments.

Under the partnership, Adfinis contributes Secretz Enterprise, built on the OpenBao open-source project. Crypto4A provides QxVault, a platform that combines secrets management software with hardware-backed security based on its own technology stack.

The companies said the combined approach is intended to address concerns over data sovereignty and dependence on a single vendor. They also said their pricing avoids charges based on the number of keys or identities, which they argued can push technical design choices towards licensing limits rather than security needs.

Adfinis has positioned itself as a service provider focused on open-source infrastructure and says it has a long-standing role in the OpenBao community. It acts as a co-maintainer of OpenBao, while its Chief Technology Officer, Michael Hofer, chairs the project's Technical Steering Committee.

Canada-based Crypto4A focuses on cryptographic infrastructure designed to resist attacks from future quantum computers. Its QxVault product is described as a fully integrated platform for managing secrets, credentials and cryptographic assets in on-premises or private cloud deployments.

Shared focus

The partnership spans Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, according to the companies. Adfinis operates in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and Egypt, while the arrangement will extend Crypto4A's reach into more regulated infrastructure markets.

Both companies framed the agreement around a shared emphasis on openness and customer control. That reflects a wider trend among some infrastructure buyers, particularly in government and critical sectors, to reduce reliance on proprietary platforms and keep sensitive systems within defined jurisdictions.

One element of the announcement is the claim of quantum-safe protection. The term refers to cryptographic approaches intended to remain secure against attacks from quantum computers, which are widely expected to threaten some current encryption methods if the technology matures sufficiently.

For customers in highly regulated sectors, the combination of secrets management software and dedicated hardware can be significant because it separates control of cryptographic materials from general-purpose systems. Hardware security modules are commonly used in banking, public sector systems and critical infrastructure, where stricter assurance requirements apply.

The companies are also making a commercial argument. Licensing based on the number of secrets, keys or machine identities has been a source of friction in parts of the infrastructure software market, particularly for large organisations running complex estates across hybrid environments.

"Our partnership is a perfect match. QxVault and Secretz Enterprise provide a holistic approach to secrets management, but it is our shared values of openness, simplicity, and reliability that truly define us - and which we both apply to our solutions, our collaboration, and our active engagement within the OpenBao community," said Michael Hofer, Chief Technology Officer, Adfinis.

Crypto4A said the partnership also reflects the overlap between its hardware-based security model and Adfinis's role in enterprise IT deployments. The companies said that combination is designed to help customers adopt a system suited to both traditional and cloud-native environments.

"This partnership represents a natural alignment between two organizations committed to advancing secure and future-ready infrastructure. By combining Crypto4A's quantum-safe, hardware-backed security with Adfinis's deep expertise in enterprise IT and leading role as an OpenBao co-maintainer, we are enabling customers to adopt secrets management solutions that are both highly secure and operationally flexible," said O'Connor.

Adfinis said the agreement broadens its product portfolio in cryptographic security. The joint offer can be applied across a range of customer environments, from cloud-based deployments to more tightly controlled systems.

"Partnering with Crypto4A allows us to extend our portfolio with cutting-edge cryptographic innovation. With Secretz Enterprise and QxVault together, we can support organizations across a wide range of use cases, from cloud native deployments to highly regulated environments, while maintaining our commitment to openness, security, and customer choice," said Gafner.