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Optical Engineering

Distributed subkey-relay-tree-based secure multicast scheme in quantum data center networks

Kai Dong, Yongli Zhao, Avishek Nag, Xiaosong Yu, Jie Zhang

Published Jun 26, 2020• 15 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In data center networks (DCNs), secure multicast provisioning services are obtained from data centers and transported to multiple users in a multicast style, which requires a high demand for security. Moreover, these services are usually stored and maintained in multiple geographically dispersed data centers for more reliable and efficient access. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a state-of-the-art technology employed to unconditionally distribute security keys, based on the principles of quantum physics. Therefore, one should pay more attention to how to efficiently distribute global quantum keys in quantum DCNs in the near future. We investigate the problem of global QKD while leveraging multicast service backups among multiple geographically distributed datacenters for secure service provisioning. A distributed subkey-relay-tree-based, secure multicast scheme is proposed and used as a basis to develop a distributed subkey-relay-tree-based secure multicast-routing and key assignment algorithm. Numerical results show that the latter can achieve higher security probability and lower consumed keys compared with the traditional routing and key assignment scheme and single-key-relay-tree-based secure multicast scheme.

DOI
10.1117/1.oe.59.6.065102

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In data center networks (DCNs), secure multicast provisioning services are obtained from data centers and transported to multiple users in a multicast style, which requires a high demand for security. Moreover, these services are usually stored and maintained in multiple geographically dispersed data centers for more reliable and efficient access. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a state-of-the-art technology employed to unconditionally distribute security keys, based on the principles of quantum physics. Therefore, one should pay more attention to how to efficiently distribute global quantum keys in quantum DCNs in the near future. We investigate the problem of global QKD while leveraging multicast service backups among multiple geographically distributed datacenters for secure service provisioning. A distributed subkey-relay-tree-based, secure multicast scheme is proposed and used as a basis to develop a distributed subkey-relay-tree-based secure multicast-routing and key assignment algorithm. Numerical results show that the latter can achieve higher security probability and lower consumed keys compared with the traditional routing and key assignment scheme and single-key-relay-tree-based secure multicast scheme.
Secure multicast services (SMSs), such as video conferences and multi-site backup of data centers, need to adopt multicast technology to transmit data among multiple parties with high demand for security. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a promising technology for distributing information through theoretically secure secret keys. However, up to now, QKD has mainly focused on point-to-point distribution of quantum keys. In this study, what we believe to be a novel node structure is designed to support key multi-relay, and accordingly, a point-to-multipoint key relay scheme is put forward. An auxiliary topology is constructed to dynamically describe the connection and the weight between any two QKD nodes. Based on the auxiliary topology, a key-relay-tree-based routing-and-key assignment (KRT-RKA) algorithm is proposed and evaluated in static and dynamic scenarios. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has a higher security probability than the traditional scheme without a KR tree. Moreover, the performance of the KRT-RKA algorithm will be significantly improved as the number of destination nodes increases. In addition, the security of SMSs can be improved by increasing the density of the node distribution when KRT-RKA is applied.
Multicast is an important service type in both terrestrial and space communication networks but has security issues because more than one destination node can receive information. Point-to-point quantum key distribution can be achieved end-to-end over long distances by using a quantum satellite (e.g., Micius) as a relay node. Hence, how to provide secret keys for remote multicast services and efficiently distribute secret keys between the source node and multiple destination nodes for long-distance secure multicast services (SMSs) has become a critical problem. In this paper, a quantum satellite network with a special node structure is designed to complete point-to-multipoint key distribution, and a point-to-multipoint satellite relay scheme is proposed. The weight information of the link is dynamically described by the method of auxiliary topology, and a satellite relay tree is constructed. Finally, this paper proposes a satellite relay algorithm for multicast services to route and allocate key resources to solve the problem of long-distance point-to-multipoint key relay and improve the success probability of multicast service requests. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the success probability of SMS requests by about 51.32% in a static scenario and 17.33% in a dynamic scenario.
There is a need to ensure unconditionally secure communications between different sites of an organization. We use quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol to provide a continuous stream of secret key bits to each communicating pair for message encryption through one-time-pad (OTP) cryptography. Due to long distance between different sites, trusted nodes are used to relay each service key in a hop-by-hop manner from one end node to another end node of a communicating pair. In a QKD network, routes for key relaying can be affected by availability of relay key bits at trusted nodes. Also, relay key allocation among different routes can impact security. We consider the scenario of supporting multiple communicating pairs, where each pair demands delivery of a certain service key rate across the QKD network, and trusted nodes may not have sufficient relay key rates to perform bitwise encryption to protect the service key. Hence, there is a need to allocate the limited relay key bits to meet all service key delivery demands while considering its effects on security. We propose to perform jointly routing and relay key allocation to minimize attack success probability. We have formulated the joint problem as an optimization and further proposed an efficient algorithm to find the optimal solutions. We have evaluated the proposed algorithm to confirm its ability and efficiency in finding optimal routes and relay key allocations. For the specific network topology that we have adopted, results show that the minimum number of required trusted nodes increases linearly when end nodes are added to the system. Furthermore, we can achieve a higher security level by adding more trusted nodes in a QKD network. But increasing the number of trusted nodes beyond the minimum requirement may not continue to reduce significantly the attack success probability.
Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) provides unconditional peer-to-peer security based on the principles of quantum physics. By utilizing relay nodes, the security of QKD can be extended over longer distances. However, the introduction of relay nodes brings both security and communication success rates issues. To tackle those issues we propose an enhanced multi-path scheme. The key features of our proposal are as follows: 1. By taking the reliability of relay nodes as one of the algorithm inputs,making the scheme more suitable for partially trusted QKD (PTQKD) networks. 2. By using Multi-Segment Multi-Path approach increases the difficulty for attackers to obtain complete key information and improves the security of PTQKD. 3. The adaptive routing algorithm generates a sufficient number of diverse paths based on node contribution rate, key freshness, and reliability. We conducted a theoretical analysis of the algorithm,and simulation results on PTQKD demonstrate that our method outperforms traditional QKD methods in terms of security and transmission success rate. This advancement has the potential to enhance the adoption of QKD networks.
Abstract Secure key distribution is crucial for maintaining communication confidentiality in networks with multiple communicating partners. Asymmetric key algorithms are vulnerable to quantum attacks because of the computational advantage offered by quantum computers, whereas symmetric key algorithms with sufficiently large keys remain comparatively more resistant. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has emerged as a promising quantum-secure key distribution technique based on the principles of quantum physics. However, practical QKD networks often rely on relay nodes to extend communication distance, and malicious relay nodes can compromise quantum keys during the relaying process. This study proposes a secure key relaying approach based on Shamir's Secret Sharing to mitigate this vulnerability. The proposed method uses a probabilistic behavioural model to assess relay nodes according to their curiosity and collaboration tendencies. By splitting a quantum key into multiple shares and routing them through paths with minimum compromise risk, the approach reduces exposure to malicious or colluding relay nodes. The proposed algorithm assigns risk to network paths by evaluating node-level curiosity and collaboration potential, determines the appropriate number of shares, and selects secure routing paths to minimise key compromise. The study further analyses the parameters influencing the ideal number of shares for a given network, thereby offering a resilient mechanism for quantum-safe communication in QKD networks with malicious relay nodes.