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International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks

Demonstration of Classical and Hybrid Solutions for Lightpath Security Using Quantum Keys

Morteza Ahmadian, Jaime S. Buruaga, Ruben Mendez, Juan P. Brito, Antonio Pastor, Jose M. Rivas, Jaume Comellas, Marc Ruiz, Vicente Martín, Luis Velasco

Published Jul 14, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Optical communications have enabled high-speed data transmission over long distances. However, data are transmitted plain unless are encrypted on higher layers, e.g., IP and TCP, precisely because of: i) the high data rates; and ii) the need of secure key exchange between the end-points of the optical connection. Meanwhile, quantum enabled cryptography has emerged as a promising solution for securing communications by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics which provides unlimited and unconditional security. Although Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols can deliver quantum keys to distant end-points, there are scenarios where one of them is not within the security perimeter of the quantum network. This demonstration focuses on the intersection of optical communication and quantum security, highlighting the synergies between these two domains and their potential to ensure secure communication networks. We explore the integration of optical communication with quantum technologies and showcase how optical encryption using quantum keys retrieved from QKD and Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) systems is performed. Retrieved keys are expanded to the required rate and then used to encrypt the input data at line speed.

DOI
10.1109/icton62926.2024.10647235

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Optical communications have enabled high-speed data transmission over long distances. However, data are transmitted plain unless are encrypted on higher layers, e.g., IP and TCP, precisely because of: i) the high data rates; and ii) the need of secure key exchange between the end-points of the optical connection. Meanwhile, quantum enabled cryptography has emerged as a promising solution for securing communications by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics which provides unlimited and unconditional security. Although Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) protocols can deliver quantum keys to distant end-points, there are scenarios where one of them is not within the security perimeter of the quantum network. This demonstration focuses on the intersection of optical communication and quantum security, highlighting the synergies between these two domains and their potential to ensure secure communication networks. We explore the integration of optical communication with quantum technologies and showcase how optical encryption using quantum keys retrieved from QKD and Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) systems is performed. Retrieved keys are expanded to the required rate and then used to encrypt the input data at line speed.
Optical communications providing huge capacity and low latency remain vulnerable to a range of attacks. In consequence, encryption at the optical layer is needed to ensure secure data transmission. In our previous work, we proposed LightPath SECurity (LPSec), a secure cryptographic solution for optical transmission that leverages stream ciphers and Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange for high-speed optical encryption. Still, LPSec faces limitations related to key generation and key distribution. To address these limitations, in this paper, we rely on Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNG) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) networks. Specifically, we focus on three meaningful scenarios: In Scenario A, the two optical transponders (Tp) involved in the optical transmission are within the security perimeter of the QKD network. In Scenario B, only one Tp is within the QKD network, so keys are retrieved from a QRNG and distributed using LPSec. Finally, Scenario C extends Scenario B by employing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) by implementing a Key Encapsulation Mechanism (KEM) to secure key exchanges. The scenarios are analyzed based on their security, efficiency, and applicability, demonstrating the potential of quantum-enhanced LPSec to provide secure, low-latency encryption for current optical communications. The experimental assessment, conducted on the Madrid Quantum Infrastructure, validates the feasibility of the proposed solutions.
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The increasing reliance on optical communication networks for high-speed data transmission has amplified concerns regarding secure information exchange in the era of quantum computing. Classical cryptographic protocols such as RSA and ECC, though widely deployed, are vulnerable to attacks from large-scale quantum computers executing Shor’s algorithm. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) has emerged as a revolutionary cryptographic paradigm that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to enable theoretically unbreakable key exchange. This paper investigates the integration of QKD into optical communication networks, focusing on protocol design, implementation challenges, and potential scalability. Through scenario-based evaluation, the study highlights the trade-offs between quantum security and practical deployment constraints such as channel loss, photon detector efficiency, and key generation rates. Results from simulated models demonstrate that while QKD can achieve provable security in metropolitan-area networks, long-distance transmission requires advanced techniques such as quantum repeaters and trusted nodes. This work concludes that QKD offers a promising pathway toward quantum-safe communication but necessitates
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It is well known that optical access networks are able to provide high data rates over long distances and to a reasonable number of users. Security and privacy are always a challenge for public accessible network infrastructures. Especially in time-division multiplexing passive optical networks (TDM-PONs), in which the downstream signal is broadcasted to all users connected via the same wavelength channel in a shared fiber link, privacy can be a critical concern. Although encryption at the application layer can provide a high level of security, this can be achieved only if the encryption key distribution is perfectly save. On the other hand, encryption on the physical layer such as quantum cryptography or, more precisely, quantum key distribution (QKD) is a very promising approach to achieve secure communication. However, there remain several issues that have to be solved before the quantum cryptography reaches the maturity level needed for a cost effective implementation in practical networks. In this paper, we address quantum key distribution (QKD) over passive optical access networks, which is an enabling technology required to cost efficiently deploy practical quantum encrypted data communication in the access area. We study different methods to integrate QKD systems in conventional optical access networks and quantitatively evaluate their suitability for a potential implementation.