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Asia Communications and Photonics Conference

Security Provisioning in Quantum Key Distribution-Secured Optical Networks

Shifeng Ding, Chun-Kit Chan

Published Nov 4, 2023• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We consider the security of quantum keys and encrypted data in QKD-secured optical networks. A security framework integrating a multi-path multi-protocol (2MP) service provisioning scheme is proposed to enhance network security and reduce network costs.
DOI
10.1109/acp/poem59049.2023.10369094

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The Optical Transport Network (OTN) is a protocol for sending network messaging over optical fiber networks. Intelligent optical networks provide an ideal solution for high-bandwidth services. Currently, data encryption schemes for OTN typically rely on mathematical problems such as elliptic curve cryptography or discrete logarithms, which are vulnerable to attacks by quantum computers. This paper investigates a quantum-secure OTN Framework that integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technologies, enabling OTN leased lines to resist quantum attacks. This framework can provide users with highly secure quantum-encrypted OTN leased lines services.
Quantum key distribution (QKD)-enabled optical networks utilize quantum mechanics to secure communications by establishing secure quantum channels. A critical criterion for QKD-enabled optical networks is ensuring network availability, which requires each quantum key service to adhere to a maximum unavailability constraint to maintain the network availability. This paper addresses the challenge of offering dedicated path protection for quantum key services in QKD-enabled optical networks. It ensures that the unavailability gap between the working and protection paths remains within the allowable limit for each quantum key service, adhering to specific unavailability constraints. Considering the constraints of the limited timeslot resources and network availability, we proposed quantum key service approach named a maximum availability (MA) algorithm. Simulation results indicate that the MA algorithm surpasses both the traditional dedicated-path protection (TDP) and fixed dedicated-path routing (FDR) algorithms in reducing total timeslot consumption and enhancing average availability.
We address emerging threats to the security of photonic networks as these networks become heterogeneous being opened to the upper layers, other operators, and end users. We review the potential threats, mainly loss of the confidentiality of user data transmitted through optical fibers and disturbances of network control, both of which could seriously damage the entire network. We then propose a novel conceptual model of a secure photonic network by introducing a quantum key distribution (QKD) network to its legacy structure. Secure keys generated by the QKD network are managed by key management agents (KMAs) and used to encrypt not only user data but also control signals. The KMAs cooperate with the generalized multiprotocol label-switching controller for secure path provisioning and drive photonic and modern crypto engines in appropriate combinations. Finally, we present a roadmap of a deployment scenario, starting from niche applications such as mission critical and business applications and the next. Digital cinema distribution through a photonic network is presented as an example of a niche application.
Increasing incidents of cyber attacks and evolution of quantum computing poses challenges to secure existing information and communication technologies infrastructure. In recent years, quantum key distribution (QKD) is being extensively researched, and is widely accepted as a promising technology to realize secure networks. Optical fiber networks carry a huge amount of information, and are widely deployed around the world in the backbone terrestrial, submarine, metro, and access networks. Thus, instead of using separate dark fibers for quantum communication, integration of QKD with the existing classical optical networks has been proposed as a cost-efficient solution, however, this integration introduces new research challenges. In this paper, we do a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art QKD secured optical networks, which is going to shape communication networks in the coming decades. We elucidate the methods and protocols used in QKD secured optical networks, and describe the process of key establishment. Various methods proposed in the literature to address the networking challenges in QKD secured optical networks, specifically, routing, wavelength and time-slot allocation (RWTA), resiliency, trusted repeater node (TRN) placement, QKD for multicast service, and quantum key recycling are described and compared in detail. This survey begins with the introduction to QKD and its advantages over conventional encryption methods. Thereafter, an overview of QKD is given including quantum bits, basic QKD system, QKD schemes and protocol families along with the detailed description of QKD process based on the Bennett and Brassard-84 (BB84) protocol as it is the most widely used QKD protocol in the literature. QKD system are also prone to some specific types of attacks, hence, we describe the types of quantum hacking attacks on the QKD system along with the methods used to prevent them. Subsequently, the process of point-to-point mechanism of QKD over an optical fiber link is described in detail using the BB84 protocol. Different architectures of QKD secured optical networks are described next. Finally, major findings from this comprehensive survey are summarized with highlighting open issues and challenges in QKD secured optical networks.
Several quantum protocols for data security having been proposed and, in general, they have different optical implementations. However, for the implementation of quantum protocols in optical networks, it is highly advantageous if the same optical setup can be used for running different quantum communication protocols. In this direction, here we show an optical scheme that can be used for quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) and quantum secret sharing (QSS). Additionally, it is naturally resistant to the attack based on single-photon detector blinding. At last, we show a proof-of-principle experiment in 1 km optical fiber link that shows the feasibility of the proposed scheme.