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SBMO/IEEE MTT-S International Microwave and Optoelectronics Conference (IMOC)

Quantum Key Distribution in Optical Fibers: A Comprehensive View Beyond Transmission

A. Pagano, Roberto Mercinelli, Maurizio Valvo, Antonio Manzalini

Published Nov 5, 2023• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This paper reports a network operator point of view about the introduction of Quantum Key Distribution in optical networks to secure the data plane and/or specific applications, focusing on the aspects that go beyond pure transmission.
DOI
10.1109/imoc57131.2023.10379769

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This paper reports the network operator point of view about the introduction of quantum key distribution (QKD) in optical networks to secure the data plane and/or specific applications, focusing on the design aspects that go beyond pure transmission. The functional architecture of a quantum key distribution network is depicted focusing on the integration in the existing telecommunications infrastructure. Some use cases of the utilization of the QKD layer, presenting results from in-field demonstrations, are reported together with a technology agnostic numerical model about resource sharing in a metropolitan area network environment.
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.
In order to solve the problem of how to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the distribution network control signal transmission security problem, this paper proposes a solution for point to point quantum secure optical fiber transmission system of distribution network control signal. The solution is to combine the quantum key distribution (QKD) with one-time pad to realize the secure communication of the point to point of the distribution network control and protection signal. The simulation results show that compared with the classical key distribution system, the proposed scheme has the advantage of confidentiality, integrity and identifiability, and has the uniqueness of tightness enhanced. The security support for the interoperability of intelligent distribution network equipment is enhanced, and the security and intelligence level of the distribution network system are improved.