Securing optical communication networks against evolving cyber threats necessitates advanced cryptographic techniques. Quantum cryptography offers an unbreakable security framework, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics. However, integrating quantum cryptography with lightweight and efficient stream ciphers remains a challenge in high-speed optical networks. Traditional encryption methods, such as AES and RSA, struggle to meet the real-time demands of optical communication due to computational overhead and vulnerability to quantum attacks. This study introduces a hybrid security framework incorporating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Espresso ciphers and the Grain stream cipher to enhance security and efficiency in optical networks. The Espresso cipher, known for its ultra-lightweight design and energy efficiency, ensures minimal computational complexity, while the Grain stream cipher provides robust resistance against differential and linear cryptanalysis. The integration with QKD ensures unconditional security through quantum properties such as no-cloning and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Performance evaluation was conducted using a 100 Gbps optical network, demonstrating a significant reduction in encryption latency by 37% compared to conventional AES-based encryption. The proposed framework also achieved an 89.6% improvement in key generation efficiency and reduced computational overhead by 41.3%. Furthermore, resistance against brute-force and side-channel attacks was significantly enhanced, providing a secure and efficient cryptographic solution for high-speed optical networks.
Securing optical communication networks against evolving cyber threats necessitates advanced cryptographic techniques. Quantum cryptography offers an unbreakable security framework, leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics. However, integrating quantum cryptography with lightweight and efficient stream ciphers remains a challenge in high-speed optical networks. Traditional encryption methods, such as AES and RSA, struggle to meet the real-time demands of optical communication due to computational overhead and vulnerability to quantum attacks. This study introduces a hybrid security framework incorporating Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) with Espresso ciphers and the Grain stream cipher to enhance security and efficiency in optical networks. The Espresso cipher, known for its ultra-lightweight design and energy efficiency, ensures minimal computational complexity, while the Grain stream cipher provides robust resistance against differential and linear cryptanalysis. The integration with QKD ensures unconditional security through quantum properties such as no-cloning and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Performance evaluation was conducted using a 100 Gbps optical network, demonstrating a significant reduction in encryption latency by 37% compared to conventional AES-based encryption. The proposed framework also achieved an 89.6% improvement in key generation efficiency and reduced computational overhead by 41.3%. Furthermore, resistance against brute-force and side-channel attacks was significantly enhanced, providing a secure and efficient cryptographic solution for high-speed optical networks.
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.
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.
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 advancements in hardware, standardization, and hybrid cryptographic strategies for widespread adoption.
The resource limitations of IoT nodes and the vulnerability of wireless channels to cyberattacks and snooping, the quick spread of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in wireless surroundings has created serious challenges to data security and privacy. The development of quantum computing, which can meritoriously crack classical encryption, is posing a growing threat to recognized cryptographic techniques like RSA and ECC. By applying concepts from quantum mechanics like predicament cloning, quantum cryptography, in particular Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), provides tentatively unbreakable security. In order to integrate lightweight quantum key exchange with traditional IoT communication protocols, this paper proposes a comprehensive Quantum Cryptography Framework (QCF) exactly designed for Wireless IoT networks. The framework is made to preserve energy efficiency while certifying forward secrecy, confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. A performance evaluation in terms of latency, throughput, and resistance to quantum attacks supports our discussion of the architecture, working mechanism, and implementation deliberations. The findings show that, when compared to traditional encryption methods, the suggested QCF greatly improves the security of wireless IoT systems, certifying resilience against oppositional models of the future.
Traditional encryption techniques face serious threats from the rapid development of quantum computing, which could soon compromise many classical algorithms. To address this, new quantum-resistant security methods are needed to protect private data and communications. This paper proposes a hybrid encryption approach that integrates quantum key distribution (QKD) with a simplified 3×3 advanced encryption standard (AES) key matrix, creating a lightweight system. The objective is to provide an efficient encryption method suitable for devices with limited processing power, such as IoT devices. The model was simulated using Qiskit, achieving an average quantum bit error rate of 0.00%, protocol efficiency of 49.72 %, and quantum fidelity of 1.000 under certain conditions. During eavesdropping scenarios, the error rate increased to 16.90 %. The simplified AES achieved a 50.14 % avalanche effect and an encryption time of 0.3073 ms, reducing latency by 17 % compared to standard AES. These results suggest that combining QKD with lightweight AES can provide quantum resilience and computational efficiency, offering a practical solution for secure communication in the post-quantum era.
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