The advent of quantum computers has raised the risk of eavesdropping and made it essential to apply post-quantum security to most communication services. Encryption processing is not a single function as it includes key exchange functions (e.g., PQC and QKD) and encryption protocols (e.g., IPsec, MACsec, and L1 encryption), and it is necessary to combine these functions to suit the requirements of each service. However, the encryption protocols of existing optical & packet transport equipment are vertically integrated and cannot be altered easily. In this paper, we propose a disaggregation architecture of post-quantum security for optical and packet transport equipment. By separating key management functions from their implementation, the architecture enables more secure encrypted communication by using more secure key exchange methods and implemented encryption protocols. In addition, we also propose a key splitting method that eliminates the impact on communication in the event of a failure due to the functional separation provided by the method; it supports various encryption ciphers. By using this method, key update can be continued even after a communication break interrupts key exchange. We show that 96 Gbps traffic can be encrypted without error.
The advent of quantum computers has raised the risk of eavesdropping and made it essential to apply post-quantum security to most communication services. Encryption processing is not a single function as it includes key exchange functions (e.g., PQC and QKD) and encryption protocols (e.g., IPsec, MACsec, and L1 encryption), and it is necessary to combine these functions to suit the requirements of each service. However, the encryption protocols of existing optical & packet transport equipment are vertically integrated and cannot be altered easily. In this paper, we propose a disaggregation architecture of post-quantum security for optical and packet transport equipment. By separating key management functions from their implementation, the architecture enables more secure encrypted communication by using more secure key exchange methods and implemented encryption protocols. In addition, we also propose a key splitting method that eliminates the impact on communication in the event of a failure due to the functional separation provided by the method; it supports various encryption ciphers. By using this method, key update can be continued even after a communication break interrupts key exchange. We show that 96 Gbps traffic can be encrypted without error.
Once a cryptographically relevant quantum computer is built, confidential information that is communicated today can be decrypted and exposed. Key exchange methods currently used can then be broken and the key used to protect the data can be recovered. Depending on the duration for which information needs to remain confidential, quantum-safe solutions have to be used now to protect data transmitted today. In this paper, we review recent advances in integrating the combination of two different quantum-safe solutions, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), in existing protocols. We also combine classical cryptography, PQC and QKD to securely exchange a key that remains secure even if only one of the three key exchange methods is secure. This is one of the first steps to update existing communication methods such that they remain secure even if only one of PQC, QKD or classical cryptography is secure.
The exponential development of quantum computing represents a serious threat to the existence of the modern cybersecurity infrastructure. Fault-tolerant large-scale quantum computing will be realized roughly five to ten years hence, and will make most of the current standards for asymmetric cryptography-such as RSA and ECC-deviant. While mitigations, such as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offer possible countermeasures, both are hampered by vulnerabilities of their own. Respectively, PQC relies on unproven mathematical hardness assumptions that are always subject to future algorithmic innovations, while QKD is limited by the physical requirements of a dedicated quantum channel.This paper presents a new hybrid protocol which aims to solve these limitations by combining PQC and QKD into a unified design. The proposed scheme will hybridize the secure key resulting from the BB84-based QKD protocol with a second secret derived by using a lattice-based PQC key exchange, using a strong hybrid key derivation function. It deals with a point-to-point transport-layer model, which is in line with the technological limitations of QKD models at present. The implementation would need trusted nodes or quantum repeaters, which are beyond the reach of this implementation. The system is implemented on a dual-channel platform: the quantum channel is used for key distribution and the classical channel is used for PQC negotiation and secure data transmission, all classical communication is authenticated by HMAC. The resulting architecture is a future-proof quantum-safe communication system that will protect government sensitive data, as well as financial and e-commerce enterprises, thus ensuring the transition to a quantum resistant digital society in the face of a catastrophic event that would have a massive financial and societal impact.
The advent of quantum computing imposes unprecedented risks on conventional cryptosystems, necessitating novel secure communication strategies. This work presents a modular, hybrid, and adaptive protocol that integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to maintain continuous, Quantum-Safe Key Exchanges, even under adverse network conditions that typically hinder the state-of-the-art QKD-based methods. At its core are specialized Crypto-Machines, which incorporate QKD Nodes compliant with ETSI-14 standards and modular PQC components, thereby supporting seamless transitions among lattice-, hash-, or code-based schemes. A signed, Quantum-Resistant, HOTP-based mechanism ensures robust mutual authentication. When QKD utilization becomes infeasible—due to, for example, fiber tampering—the protocol dynamically shifts to PQC, safeguarding ongoing communications. Once a key is established, AES-256-GCM encryption provides strong data confidentiality. Simulations have been conducted with the SeQUeNCe toolkit to demonstrate the protocol’s adaptability and resilience. The results show how Crypto-Machines are able to provide QKD exchanges under favorable network conditions while also being able to fall-back to PQC-based approaches with a minimal impact on the performance. Hence, the proposed stack allows operators to maintain Quantum-Proof Key Exchanges where current state-of-the-art solutions are impaired by a low-quality network connection, and thereby offering a forward-looking security framework suited to the quantum era
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.
The reliance on asymmetric public key cryptography (PKC) and symmetric encryption for cyber-security in current telecommunication networks is threatened by the emergence of powerful quantum computing technology. This is due to the ability of quantum computers to efficiently solve problems such as factorization or discrete logarithms, which are the basis for classical PKC schemes. Thus, the assumption that communications networks are secure no longer holds true. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) are the first cyber-security technologies that allow communications to resist the attacks of a quantum computer. To achieve quantum-resistant communications, the aforementioned technologies need to be incorporated into a network security protocol such as Transport Layer Security (TLS). In this paper, we describe and implement two novel, hybrid solutions in which QKD and PQC are combined inside TLS for achieving quantum-resistant authenticated key exchange: Concatenation and Exclusively-OR (XOR). We present the results, in terms of complexity and security enhancement, of integrating state-of-the-art QKD and PQC technologies into a practical, industry-ready TLS implementation. Our findings demonstrate that the adoption of a PQC-only approach enhances the TLS handshake performance by approximately 9 % compared to classical methods. Furthermore, our hybrid PQC-QKD quantum-resistant TLS comes at a performance cost of approximately 117 % during the key establishment process. In return, we substantially augment the security of the handshake, paving the road for the development of future-proof quantum-resistant communication systems based on QKD and PQC.
This Research Focuses on,the advent of quantum computing poses significant risks to classical encryption methods, rendering many existing cryptographic protocols obsolete. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) emerges as a revolutionary solution, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to enable unconditionally secure communication. This research paper explores the implementation and advancements in QKD for securing networks against post-quantum threats. We analyze the challenges, practical implementations, and future prospects of integrating QKD into modern communication infrastructures. The findings highlight the critical role of QKD in ensuring resilient cybersecurity in the quantum era. We analyze the challenges, practical implementations, and future prospects of integrating QKD into modern communication infrastructures. The findings highlight the critical role of QKD in ensuring resilient cybersecurity in the quantum era.