The rapid evolution of Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology, coupled with advancements in quantum computing, has significantly enhanced contemporary communication systems. This paper presents a novel Store & Forward Repeater system for Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC), integrating SDR with quantum technologies to enhance security and performance. Traditional repeaters encounter limitations in security, latency, and data integrity. Our system leverages SDR’s flexibility and reconfigurability, enabling dynamic adjustments in frequency and modulation to optimize communication between distant nodes in mobile networks. The system incorporates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for secure data transmission, ensuring that any interception attempts are detected, thereby providing theoretically unbreakable encryption. The Store & Forward Repeater stores messages when the destination is unreachable and forwards them securely once reconnected, minimizing data loss. Our testing demonstrated substantial improvements in latency (up to 70% reduction), error rate, and data security over conventional PTToC systems. We also provide a comprehensive comparison with conventional communication systems, highlighting the advantages of integrating quantum cryptography with SDR. Numerical analysis underscores the efficiency gains achieved through QKD over traditional encryption methods. Finally, we discuss future research directions, including quantum-assisted modulation schemes and the integration of 5G networks to further enhance communication in mission-critical applications. This work establishes the groundwork for scalable, secure communication systems with applications in public safety, military, and emergency response scenarios.
The rapid evolution of Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology, coupled with advancements in quantum computing, has significantly enhanced contemporary communication systems. This paper presents a novel Store & Forward Repeater system for Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PTToC), integrating SDR with quantum technologies to enhance security and performance. Traditional repeaters encounter limitations in security, latency, and data integrity. Our system leverages SDR’s flexibility and reconfigurability, enabling dynamic adjustments in frequency and modulation to optimize communication between distant nodes in mobile networks. The system incorporates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) for secure data transmission, ensuring that any interception attempts are detected, thereby providing theoretically unbreakable encryption. The Store & Forward Repeater stores messages when the destination is unreachable and forwards them securely once reconnected, minimizing data loss. Our testing demonstrated substantial improvements in latency (up to 70% reduction), error rate, and data security over conventional PTToC systems. We also provide a comprehensive comparison with conventional communication systems, highlighting the advantages of integrating quantum cryptography with SDR. Numerical analysis underscores the efficiency gains achieved through QKD over traditional encryption methods. Finally, we discuss future research directions, including quantum-assisted modulation schemes and the integration of 5G networks to further enhance communication in mission-critical applications. This work establishes the groundwork for scalable, secure communication systems with applications in public safety, military, and emergency response scenarios.
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is an emerging networking paradigm that decouples the control and data plane in order to enable programmable and flexible networks, optimizing its applications and advancing computer systems. It does so through its architecture, a key part of which is a centralized network management through open interfaces that revolutionizes the way in which networks are designed and makes them more agile and versatile to the evolving needs of modern and future applications services. This also means, however, that there is now a centralized point of attack that is a major vulnerability, threatening the security of the entire network. With such an advanced network paradigm, it requires a security system that will mitigate these risks and warrant long-term security. In attempts to allow secure communications within the network, this research proposes the implementation of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), leveraging quantum mechanics to secure the network against any computational advancements in the future. QKD is a recent cryptographic system that includes a traditional-computational channel and a physical-quantum channel to generate and distribute keys between parties. It uses the principles of quantum mechanics including entanglement and superposition to ensure that the physical layer cannot be compromised computationally. QKD provides confidentiality and privacy of information and communication. Moreover, it is resistant to technological advancements. The implications of QKD significantly enhance SDN security through its protection against attacks, efficient key distribution, reliable network orchestration, and data integrity, creating an architecture that establishes stable communication channels that are resistant to cyber threats.
Abstract This paper presents a novel hybrid architecture that integrates Software Defined Radio (SDR) with Quantum Machine Learning (QML) for secure, adaptive, and high-performance wireless communication. The proposed system utilizes Offset Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (OQAM) for enhanced spectral efficiency and reduced inter-symbol interference, benefiting from the nonlinear signal properties managed by filter bank-based multicarrier systems. Quantum Support Vector Machines (QSVM), Quantum Reservoir Computing (QRC), and Quantum Neural Networks (QNN) are deployed to classify modulation types and manage spectrum allocation in real-time. Simulation results derived from GNU Radio and the PennyLane framework indicate that the suggested system attains a modulation classification accuracy of up to 96.3%. The QNN model trained on OQAM signals achieves an accuracy of 94.7% and an end-to-end processing latency of around 16.2 milliseconds. The design reliably sustains classification performance over 90% throughout a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) range of 0 to 20 dB, even in the presence of noise. Secure transmission is guaranteed by a conventional control interface that enables Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), included inside the SDR environment. The integration of reconfigurable SDR hardware with nonlinear quantum machine learning algorithms positions this method as a formidable option for dynamic spectrum optimization and secure communications in forthcoming 5G and 6G networks.
The rapid evolution of digital infrastructure has raised significant concerns about the security of data transmission, particularly with the advent of quantum computing. Traditional cryptographic algorithms are vulnerable to attacks, highlighting the need for quantum-resistant solutions. This paper presents the integration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and network slicing to build a secure, programmable, and flexible network architecture. QKD ensures unconditional security based on quantum mechanics by enabling key distribution with the ability to detect eavesdropping through quantum bit error rates (QBER). SDN provides centralized control and real-time traffic management, while network slicing allows isolation, reliability and customization of traffic flows for specific applications such as URLLC, eMBB, and mMTC. When abnormal QBER or decryption failures are detected, mitigation actions such as Quantum key refresh, traffic rerouting, or attacker isolation are triggered and Performance evaluation of the system is based on Latency and throughput Experimental validation using Mininet and Ryu demonstrates secure key distribution, attack detection, and slice-specific threat mitigation. This integrated approach enhances end-to-end security for next-generation networks, with strong applicability to5G/6G, IoT, and mission-critical services.
Abstract The increasing demand for secure communications in mobile and critical infrastructure networks has led to the emergence of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) as a promising technique for enhancing cryptographic security in next-generation systems. This paper reviews recent progress in integrating QKD within mobile and wireless networks. It focuses on key enabling technologies, such as Software-Defined Networking (SDN), satellite-based, and aerial networks. The paper critically analyzes how these frameworks can address evolving security requirements in sixth-generation (6G) networks and smart city infrastructures. Additionally, it examines the role of Machine Learning (ML) in improving QKD performance and adaptability. Challenges such as key management, mobility support, scalability, and interoperability are explored. These challenges help identify current barriers and research directions. By consolidating developments and highlighting unresolved issues, this study offers researchers valuable insights. It discusses the convergence of quantum communication and advanced mobile architectures, facilitating the design of secure and resilient future communication infrastructures.
The exponential growth of global telecommunication networks has heightened the need for robust security frameworks to protect data transmission against evolving cyber threats.Traditional encryption techniques, such as RSA and AES, while effective, are increasingly vulnerable to advances in computational power and the impending threat posed by quantum computing.Quantum cryptography, specifically Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), presents a revolutionary approach to securing telecommunication systems by leveraging the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics.Unlike classical encryption methods, QKD guarantees data security through the use of quantum states that are inherently resistant to interception and eavesdropping due to the no-cloning theorem and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.From a broader perspective, this paper explores the integration of quantum cryptographic protocols into existing telecommunication infrastructures, emphasizing their potential to safeguard data transmission in fiber-optic and satellite communication networks.It examines the architecture and operational mechanisms of QKD systems, detailing protocols such as BB84 and E91, and evaluates their effectiveness in countering both classical and quantum-enabled cyber-attacks.Additionally, the study delves into the challenges of large-scale deployment, including key distribution range limitations, hardware requirements, and the need for quantum repeaters to support long-distance secure communication.Narrowing the focus, case studies on the implementation of quantum cryptography in 5G networks and global telecommunication hubs are analysed, highlighting their role in enhancing network resilience and ensuring end-to-end encryption.The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for policy development, international standardization, and future research directions to facilitate the widespread adoption of quantum cryptography in the telecommunications sector.
In military contexts, information and communication services are critical, relying on secure and robust infrastructures. However, current network architectures in defense are often static and inflexible. Software-Defined Networking offers significant advantages in terms of flexibility, agility, net-work management, and operational costs. These properties are essential in dynamic environments, and SDN technology can further enhance these benefits by incorporating Software-Defined Radio technologies, which are highly used in defense environments. Additionally, SDN networks can ensure redundancy and resilience against failures. The adoption of SDN facilitates the flexible integration of Quantum Key Distribution networks, which provide an inherently secure method for cryptographic key distribution across network nodes. However, current QKD implementations face limitations in scope and flexibility, as they are generally based on fixed, point-to-point connections and static infrastructure. Together, SDN and QKD present synergistic benefits: SDN enables a flexible QKD network with enhanced control and monitoring capabilities, while QKD ensures secure communication even against quantum threats within the SDN architecture. The DISCRETION project develops an SDN solution integrating QKD capabilities for secure communications, enhancing European defense capabilities through these advanced technologies. Cipher Machines within DISCRETION assure the red-black network segregation, an essential feature in military networks. This is provided by enabling real-time encryption and decryption using keys supplied by the SDN-QKD layer, alongside pre-shared keys. For mobility and tactical scenarios, SDR solutions are evaluated and incorporated into the SDN solution to support radio network segments and ensure secure communications in mobile contexts. The proposed DISCRETION solution was deployed at the REPMUS 2024 defense event, yielding notable results.